Ireland has nominated Dr. Síofra O’Leary for appointment as a judge of the Court of Justice of the European Union, placing one of the country’s most experienced European legal figures at the centre of the next selection process. The announcement was made by the Department of the Taoiseach on 8 October 2026.
Síofra O’Leary nominated for Court of Justice of the European Union
The Government made its decision on the recommendation of Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan. If approved, Dr. O’Leary would serve a six-year term on the European Union’s highest court.
Dr. O’Leary previously served as president of the European Court of Human Rights from November 2022 until July 2024. She first joined that court as a judge in July 2015.
Her legal career also includes almost two decades working at the Court of Justice of the European Union, where she held both judicial and administrative roles. That background gives her direct experience of the institution for which Ireland has now put her forward.
How the EU judicial appointment process works
Under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, judges of the Court of Justice are appointed by common accord of the governments of the Member States. Each country may establish its own domestic procedure for selecting a nominee.
Ireland’s nomination was made under the process provided for in the Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2024. The nomination is not the final appointment.
Dr. O’Leary will next be presented to the panel established under Article 255 of the TFEU. The panel will assess whether she is suitable to perform the duties of a judge before representatives of the Member States make a final decision.
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What the nomination means for Ireland
The nomination highlights Ireland’s continuing role in European legal and institutional affairs. A successful appointment would bring extensive experience from both the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the European Union to Ireland’s representation on the court.
Ireland’s current appointee, Mr Justice Eugene Regan, is due to complete his second term on 6 October 2027. The timeline leaves a period for the Article 255 review and the subsequent decision by Member State representatives.
The Department of the Taoiseach said the nomination follows the Government’s established legal appointment process. Further stages will determine whether Dr. O’Leary formally takes up the role.
Key facts about the nomination
- Nominee: Dr. Síofra O’Leary
- Proposed position: Judge of the Court of Justice of the European Union
- Previous role: President of the European Court of Human Rights, November 2022 to July 2024
- Next stage: Review by the Article 255 panel
- Current Irish judge’s term: Mr Justice Eugene Regan’s second term ends on 6 October 2027
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What happens next?
The Article 255 panel will consider Dr. O’Leary’s suitability. Its opinion will then inform the representatives of EU Member States, who are responsible for deciding on the appointment by common accord.
The nomination therefore marks the beginning of the formal European process rather than its conclusion. The key takeaway is that Ireland has selected a candidate with significant experience of European courts ahead of the end of Eugene Regan’s current term in October 2027.
Article/Image Courtesy: gov.ie
