S.I. No. 495/2020 - Rules of the Superior Courts (Judges’ Robes) 2020

1. (1) The Chief Justice, the President of the Court of Appeal and the President of the High Court shall be addressed, in Court, by their respective titles in Irish or English and other Judges of the Superior Courts shall be addressed, in Court, individually, in Irish, as “A Bhreithimh” or, in English, as “Judge”. Judges of the Superior Courts may be referred to, in Irish, as “An Chúirt” or, in English, as “The Court”.

(2) This Rule does not affect the existing practice by which Judges of the Superior Courts shall be addressed or referred to, other than in Court, by their respective titles and names, in Irish or in English.

2. (1) Save as otherwise provided by Statute or these Rules, on all occasions during the sittings

(

a

) the Judges of the Supreme Court shall wear a black woollen gown of uniform make with sleeves bearing green double ribbon banding and a single white neck tab,

(

b

) the Judges of the Court of Appeal shall wear such costume as is directed by the President of the Court of Appeal;

(

c

) the Judges of the High Court (including when sitting as the Central Criminal Court) shall wear a black gown of uniform nature and material with sleeves bearing a deep purple ribbon banding with gold trim and a single white neck tab.

(2) A Judge appointed to the High Court before the coming into operation of this sub-rule may alternatively wear a black coat and vest of uniform make and material of the kind worn by Senior Counsel, a black Irish poplin gown and white bands.

(3) A Judge shall not be required to wear a wig of a ceremonial type during such sittings.”

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(

This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation

.)

The Rules amend Order 119 of the Superior Courts to provide for new robes for Judges of the High Court.

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of

6

th November,

2020.

We, the Superior Courts Rules Committee, constituted pursuant to the provisions of the

Courts of Justice Act 1936

, section 67, and reconstituted pursuant to the provisions of the

Courts of Justice Act 1953

, section 15, by virtue of the powers conferred upon us by the

Courts of Justice Act 1924

, section 36, the

Courts of Justice Act, 1936

, section 68 (as applied by the

Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act 1961

, section 48), the

Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act 1961

, and of all other powers enabling us in this behalf, do hereby make the following Rules of Court.

Dated this 23rd day of September 2020

Frank Clarke

(Chairperson)

George Birmingham

Mary Irvine

Elizabeth Dunne

John Edwards

Brian Murray

Deirdre Murphy

Richard Humphreys

Grainne Larkin

Stuart Gilhooly

Liam Kennedy

James Finn

Mary Cummins

John Mahon.

I concur in the making of the following Rules of Court.

Dated this 30 day of October, 2020.

HELEN MCENTEE

Minister for Justice and Equality