Minister defends number of new judicial posts following criticism

Attorney General Heather Humphreys has defended government approval for five additional High Court justices after the High Court President harshly criticized that it was insufficient.

In a harsh reprimand, the Court’s President, Ms. Justice Mary Irvine, said she was “kind of speechless” at the number of judges admitted to help deal with a backlog of cases.

In an interview with Parchament Magazine, she said the high court is in a “desperate scenario” because of the scarcity: “To make a real difference, we need 17,” she said.

The five additional judges are “already held accountable” with two assigned to crime, while Justice Irvine said people will be held in pre-trial detention for 18 months.

Another of the new cabinet-appointed judges is needed to work on the strategic infrastructure and trade planning list, which requires three judges but currently has one.

Asylum list

Another will have to work on the state extradition list, which will be “doubled” due to a new European Arrest Warrant Agreement, and the fifth will deal with aid cases on the asylum list.

“These are the five new judges and this will just keep the tide at bay,” she said, adding that some personal injury cases need to be settled for reasons unrelated to the facts of the case.

Some plaintiffs cannot afford to wait months for a case to be heard, or a defendant might come to an agreement because the costs pile up while the case is not heard, she said.

“These are factors that only come into play because we don’t have enough jurors to meet the demand. This is not access to justice.

“I don’t understand that the government doesn’t seem to appreciate the importance of timely access to justice for citizens and the Irish economy,” she added.

She also told the summer issue of the Dublin Solicitors Bar Association magazine, “I sometimes think that the fact that we can always have a judge for a very urgent case doesn’t help our case.” [for more judges].

“But the problem is, we have to cancel someone else’s case to make way for this urgent case. I often feel that the little person bears the brunt of the lack of legal resources. “

In Drogheda, Ms. Humphreys was interviewed about Ms. Justice Irvine’s criticisms and said the five appointments were a “significant increase”.

She insisted that the government “has a duty to ensure that the courts are adequately resourced to enable the efficient administration of justice”.

Ms. Humphreys said, “That’s why we only passed laws this month. . . Increase the number of High Court justices by five and possibly six. “

She said, “This is one of the biggest increases in judges lately.”

The minister added that each new appointment costs around 370,000 euros annually in salary, allowances and support staff.

She said the increase in the number of High Court Judges from 37 to 42 was a “very significant investment” and a “significant increase” in the number “with the potential to add another”.

Ms. Humphreys said the Judicial Planning Working Group is investigating a number of questions, including the number of high courts and other judges, and working practices and productivity in the Courts Service, and is due to report back next spring.

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