Lay member positions of various committees of the Judicial Council have been advertised.

And justice minister Charlie Flanagan has urged suitably qualified candidates to put themselves forward through the State Boards process.

“The establishment of the Judicial Council is a really important development,” he said.

“Its role is to promote and maintain public confidence in the judiciary and the administration of justice. 

Positions

“There are a number of important positions available for suitably qualified lay members on the Council’s Committees and I hope that people will consider putting themselves forward.”

The three Committees to which lay members will provide essential experience, skills and knowledge are:

• Sentencing Guidelines Committee: responsible for compiling guidelines designed to increase consistency in relation to criminal sentences,
• Judicial Conduct Committee: A disciplinary committee with power to investigate complaints and issue varying levels of rebuke to judges, to be established in guidance procedures,
• Panels of Inquiry: to conduct investigations of complaints referred by the Judicial Conduct Committee.

The relevant committees are to be established in June 2020 and will hold their first meetings within one month of establishment, in accordance with the relevant legislation.

The deadline for applications is Tuesday, 5 May.

Public confidence

The Judicial Council was established under the Judicial Council Act 2019 to promote and maintain public confidence in the judiciary and the administration of justice. 

• The Sentencing Guidelines Committee is established under section 23 of the act.
• The Judicial Conduct Committee is established under section 43 of the act.
• The Panels of Inquiry are appointed under section 64 of the act.

More information on the Judicial Council can be found on www.judicialcouncil.ie

Links 

• Sentencing Guidelines and Information Committee:  http://www.stateboards.ie/stateboards/campaignAdvert/116117.htm
• Judicial Conduct Committee: http://www.stateboards.ie/stateboards/campaignAdvert/116157.htm 

• Panel of Inquiry:  http://www.stateboards.ie/stateboards/campaignAdvert/116138.htm

Those ineligible for appointment as a lay member of the Judicial Conduct Committee include:

(a) Members of either House of the Oireachtas, the European Parliament or a local authority,

(b) Former members of either House of the Oireachtas, the European Parliament or a local authority, if a five-year period has not yet elapsed,

(c) If the person is a judge or a former judge, 

(d) If the person is a judge or a former judge of—

(i) The General Court of the European Union,

(ii) The Court of Justice of the European Union,

(iii) The European Court of Human Rights,

(iv) The International Court of Justice,

(v) The International Criminal Court, or

(vi) An international tribunal,

(e) If the person is an Advocate-General or a former Advocate-General of the Court of Justice of the European Union,

(f) If the person is a practising barrister or solicitor,

(g) A former practising barrister or solicitor if a five-year period has not yet elapsed

(h) If the person is a civil servant.