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Appointments to the High Court, Circuit Court and District Court

At its meeting today, the Government nominated Ms. Eileen Creedon, Solicitor and Mr. Charles Meenan, Senior Counsel for appointment by the President to the High Court. The Government also nominated Mr. Patrick Quinn, Senior Counsel for appointment by the President to the Circuit Court and Ms. Mary Dorgan, Solicitor for appointment by the President to the District Court.

The vacancies in the High Court arise from the retirement of the Hon. Mr. Justice Raymond Fullam on 11 March 2017 and the resignation of the Hon. Mr. Justice Colm MacEochaidh on 24 April 2017 who was appointed a Judge of the General Court of the European Union.

The vacancy in the Circuit Court arises from the retirement of His Hon. Judge Barry Hickson on 11 March 2017 and the vacancy in the District Court arises from the retirement of Judge William Hamill on 18 March 2017.

The Government has taken the necessary steps to advise formally President Higgins of the nominations in accordance with constitutional procedure.

In addition, the Government today agreed, in principle, to nominate Ms Martina Baxter, Barrister and Mr Eoin Garavan, Barrister for appointment by the President to the Circuit Court, once vacancies arise in that Court following the respective retirements of Judge John O’Hagan on 26 August 2017 and Judge David Riordan on 1 October 2017. The Government also, agreed in principle, to nominate Mr Brian O'Shea, Barrister for appointment by the President to the District Court, once the vacancy arises in that Court following the retirement of Judge Aeneas McCarthy on 16 June 2017.

Formal nominations by Government will be required once the pending vacancies in the Circuit and District Court have arisen.

Note for Editors

The nominations to the High Court, Circuit Court and District Court follow the receipt of lists of suitable candidates from the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board.

Limited biographical details:

Ms. Eileen Creedon, Solicitor
· Educated: University College Cork and the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland
· Enrolled as a solicitor: 1987
· Appointed Chief State Solicitor in 2012 with experience in all legal matters covering Constitutional and commercial litigation, administrative law, judicial review, asylum, Article 40 and European Arrest Warrants, conveyancing and property as well as employment law.
· Chief Prosecution Solicitor (and previously Deputy) in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (2007 – 2012)
· Joined the Chief State Solicitor’s office in 1995 and worked in a number of areas including civil litigation, state property and criminal prosecution work.

Mr. Charles Meenan SC
· Educated: University College Dublin and the King’s Inns
· Called to the Bar: 1980
· Called to the Inner Bar: 1998
· CEDR Accredited Mediator: 2007
· General practice mainly in professional negligence, personal injury, constitutional law, as well as commercial and administrative law.
· Acted as legal assessor to a number of bodies including the Medical Council and Nursing Board
· Former chairman of Ethics Committee of Temple Street University Hospital (2002 – 2015).


Mr. Patrick Quinn SC
· Educated: Trinity College Dublin and the King’s Inns
· Called to the Bar: 1979
· Called to the Inner Bar: 2001
· General practice mainly in taxation, revenue and commercial law as well as in personal injuries
· Senior member of the legal team of the Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments (2001 - 2012)
· Previously a civil servant working in the Offices of the High Court in various roles.

Ms Martina Baxter, Barrister
· Educated: National University of Ireland Galway and the King’s Inns
· Called to the Bar: 1992
· Criminal practice covering all areas including conviction and sentence appeals, High Court bail applications as well as judicial review and human rights law
· Part-time lecturer in law at the Dublin Institute of Technology (1993- 2002)

Mr. Eoin Garavan, Barrister
· Educated: University College Dublin and the King’s Inns
· Called to the Bar: 1990
· Mixed practice with experience in criminal law, civil law, judicial review, environmental and commercial law and also specialises in family law
· Former member of Castlebar Town Council (1994 - 2004)
· Senior tutor in law in University College Dublin (1998 - 1990)

Ms Mary Dorgan, Solicitor
· Educated: University College Cork and the Law Society of Ireland,
· Enrolled as a Solicitor: 1978
· Qualification in collaborative law and in mediation
· Principal Solicitor in Mary Dorgan Solicitors: 1989 to date
· Wide experience in family law, conveyancing, probate and civil litigation
· Part-time lecturer on law in University College Cork and the Law Society of Ireland.

Mr. Brian O’Shea, Barrister
· Educated: Waterford Institute of Technology and the King’s Inns
· Called to the Bar: 2005
· Mixed practice mainly in criminal law with experience in family law, personal injuries and civil law cases
· Prosecution Counsel for County Kilkenny from 2012 to date
· Previously a Member of An Garda Síochána (1997- 2003), and a lecturer in law at Carlow Institute of Technology (2005 – 2007) and at St
Patrick’s Carlow College (2004 - 2008).