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MS. JUSTICE MARY Irvine is to be appointed as President of the High Court, becoming the first woman to hold the role.
Her nomination has been made by the government following a consideration process involving the President of the Court of Appeal Mr. Justice George Birmingham, the Attorney General Séamus Woulfe and Jane Williams of Sia Partners.
Their recommendation was made to Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan who brought it to a meeting of Cabinet today where her nomination was approved.
Justice Irvine will now be appointed as President of High Court by President Michael D Higgins. Her appointment will following the retirement of the current President, Mr. Justice Peter Kelly, on 18 June.
Justice Irvine was appointed as a judge of the High Court in 2007, the Court of Appeal in 2018 and last year the Supreme Court.
In 2018 she was also appointed to chair the government’s tribunal to deal with claims arising from the CervicalCheck scandal.
Prior to her judicial career, Irvine practice as a barrister from 1978 following education at Sacred Heart, Mount Anville, University College Dublin and the Honourable Society of King’s Inns.
Her nomination has today welcomed by Law Society President Michele O’Boyle who described Irvine as “an outstandingly able judge”.
“She will bring the qualities of independence, deep legal knowledge and insight that have characterised her distinguished career as a judge,” O’Boyle said.
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Quota filled.
@Gerard Casserly: Nothing to do with quota. There were candidates and the most experienced and able person was offered the appointment. Gender quotas had absolutely nothing to do with it.
@Belebop: Good for her. (Not quota appointment). “She was/is the best person for the job”.
@Gerard Casserly: can you prove that she didn’t get the job because she was the best candidate?
@Kieran Murphy: Are you not aware of how quota systems work? A “person” who is “placed” in any position when a quota system is required. The “placement/position” shall never be revealed as a quota “placement”. So it can never be proved or disproved. Silly me should have typed “Quota filled?” Oops.
@Kieran Murphy: She May well have got the job on merit but because of the quota campaigns there is always a suspicion that the fact that she is a woman may have been a factor in her appointment.
@Kieran Murphy: Any gender quota system is extremely unsulting. Any position filled on a quota system would always carry suspicion. All quota systems should be removed from all appointments. I’m sure that this lady is extremely well qualified. I’m highlighting the stupidity of a gender quota system.
@Gerard Casserly: so that’s a no, then
@Kieran Murphy: I do not have to prove anything. It’s up to the chosen one to disprove it. Unfortunately.
@frank mcglynn: thats a very good argument against quotas.
@Gerard Casserly: it is up to you to prove. You made a statement, back it up with proof.
@Kieran Murphy: Prove what? That quota systems are being used? I’m asking the very same question. The state should remove all quota systems. Then merit is the proof. But until then all appointments carry an element of doubt. Unfortunately.
@Gerard Casserly: it’s hilarious the comments from some men on this site when there is an article regarding achievements of women! It’s like their own masculinity is at risk and they need to throw in some comment to denounce their achievements! Relax Gerard, you’ll get through it!
@Ginell Healy: How patronizing. Obviously you’re not reading my comments. I’m wishing all genders equal status. As far as men thinking their masculinity is at risk, it’s the very presents of masculinity that poses the the threat to feminity. Hence the Quota systems. But I, unlike you think that women are well capable reaching their goals without the assistance of others. Men bashing is and always be the weakness of any woman being successful on her own merits. So love, don’t patronize. It’s very rude.
@Gerard Casserly: Muppet
@Gerard Casserly: now I’m un- sulted
@Gerard Casserly: There was a vacancy not a quota.
@Belebop: Sure was a vacancy.
@Bridget O’Hanlon: Was that sulted or un-sulted? Manamana.
@Gerard Casserly: You’re that threatened by her achievement that the only way you can feel better about it is denigrate her and cast aspersions over her appointment! You’re to be pitied!
@Sorcha Ní Shúilleabháin: Thank you for your sympathy. Unfortunately your attention to detail is lacking. I wish for no aspersions or any clouds of doubt upon anyone’s appointment. I’m sure Mary is well qualified for the position and indeed is the best person for the job amongst here peers. If the state continues to insist on a quota system doubt will always remain. Emotional reactive minds always results in comments trying to cast aspersions about me and to denigrate (great word by the way. Says so much.)me. So in short, quotas=bad equality=good. Best person for the job = perfect.
@frank mcglynn: Would you hold the same view of a man was appointed?
@Gerard Casserly: So this is what we are reduced to? Everytime time a woman is appointed to a high position, it’s going to he deemed quota filling.
Don’t men have such an easy life. Noone dares question their appointments are based in merit alone,
@Teresa Ryan: It’s human nature. If the quota system exists then doubt will exist. Men and women would always be wondering if it was tokenism or not. I find it extremely amusing that the question of my masculinity is offended when all I’m looking for is equality. Nothing to do with the victim blaming “men have an easy life”. No favouritism. No quotas. Equal opportunity for all.
@Teresa Ryan: No, because because quotas are not used to benefit men.
Best of luck Mary
More of this please.. Women succeeding on merit rather than patronising gender quotas that only serves to widen expectations..
All those rambling about quotas. That lady has an impressive CV. I wish her best of luck and she deserves congratulations
@8-Bit-Relic: She represented the Christian Brothers at the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse. A lot of these cases and child abuse in general are stil unresolved. Her sitting in judgement in a child abuse case would concern me though.
Good luck to her, the judicial system needs an overhaul, maybe she is the person to start it.
It’s About time the patriarchy in this country was slowly demolished.
@Ronan Walsh: Demolish the incestuous elite who dominate the legal profession and the judiciary.
@frank mcglynn: fair point..
@Ronan Walsh: What kind of comment is that ? Do you not believe in Justice or the Criminal Law System?
@frank mcglynn: I don’t understand your comments, It is open to any Student to study Law , become Barristers and eventually become Judges . Do you want people to be appointed to the Judiciary that are not educated in the Law, A mechanic would hardly make a Judge, no more than a Barrister would make a Mechanic .
@Eugene Comaskey: I was being sarcastic Eugene.
@Ronan Walsh: Ah good Man , yes, the Law Society often appears to be a closed shop, in so far as families in the past anyway were all lawyers and it followed on that way , not so anymore.
@frank mcglynn: Most newly qualified solicitors and barristers are now women. Many come to law in their 30s, 40s and even 50s after years in another profession. Which is a good thing surely.
Congratulations, great to see people of real substance being recognised.
What exactly does a president of the high Court do though? Our judiciary are all on a big gravy train at tax payers expense from what I can see
Congratulations and all the very best in your new roll.
Pity a BAME candidate didn’t get it :(
@Chewns: give it time. This lady has been practicing law for 42yrs. As integration occurs it is natural that over time more and more high positions will be filled by BAME.
Government product placement
Didn’t we already have a female Supreme Court head? Isn’t that higher?
@Orpuk Jones: Yes. Justice Frank Clarke is the current president of the SC since 2017. He is also an academic Adjunct professor in law at Trinity and UCC.
As President of the SC, he sits on the panel that appoints judges to the European Courts of justice and general court of the EU.
@Orpuk Jones: You’re thinking of Catherine McGuinness.
@Teresa Ryan: I think it was Susan Dunham, but I might be wrong.
Sorry role my predictive text a bit trigger happy
Mary, sort out the family court , it’s in turmoil . It’s an abusers paradise
There’s something about Mary
She’s really tall
@Stephen Hughes: not really ,she is standing beside a short man.
Sorry role my predictive text a bit trigger happy
Sorry role my predictive text a bit trigger happy
Sorry role my predictive text a bit trigger happy
@John Hetherton: Machine Gun John.
Hurrah!
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