Aileen Donnelly

Aileen Donnelly is an Irish judge who has served as a judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland since June 2023. She was previously a judge of the Court of the Appeal between 2019 and 2023 and the High Court from 2014 to 2019.

The Hon. Ms. Justice
Aileen Donnelly
Judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland
Assumed office
2 June 2023
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byMichael D. Higgins
Judge of the Court of Appeal
In office
17 June 2019 – 2 June 2023
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byMichael D. Higgins
Judge of the High Court
In office
22 September 2014 – 17 June 2019
Nominated byGovernment of Ireland
Appointed byMichael D. Higgins
Personal details
NationalityIrish
SpouseSusan Miner (m. 2016)
Alma mater

Donnelly attended University College Dublin, where she obtained a BCL degree in 1986 and a master's degree in equality studies in 1995.[1] She also attended the King's Inns.[2] In 1988, she was called to the Bar. Between 1996 and 2002, she was a board member and co-chair of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL). She was counsel for a complainant in the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse.[3] In 2004, she was called to the Inner Bar.[4] She has published legal texts on tax law, the law of the European Convention on Human Rights and gender and law.[2]

Judicial career

High Court

She was appointed a Judge of the High Court in September 2014.[5] She was in charge of High Court extradition cases.[6] Donnelly postponed an order of extradition for a man to Poland in 2018, as a result of the 2015 Polish Constitutional Court crisis.[7] She referred the issue to the Court of Justice of the European Union. Her subsequent decision did not find that there was a specific threat to the accused man's rights to a fair trial.[6] Donnelly's preliminary decision received substantial personal criticism from some Polish media publications, leading to Association of Judges of Ireland and the European Association of Judges writing statements of support for the judge.[8]

Court of Appeal

Donnelly became a Judge of the Court of Appeal in June 2019.[9] Her appointment followed the elevation of Mary Irvine to the Supreme Court of Ireland.[10]

Supreme Court

The Irish Government nominated Donnelly for appointment to the Supreme Court of Ireland in May 2023.[11] She was appointed in June 2023.[12]

Personal life

She is the first openly gay member of the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.[4][13] She is married to Dr. Susan Miner.[7]

References
  1. "Reflections on being a woman". Twitter. UCD School of Law. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  2. "Appointments to the High Court". Irish Government News Service. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  3. "Third Interim Report". Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse. Archived from the original on 2 November 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  4. O'Reilly, Brian; Foley, Cliona (21 January 2015). "Judge first openly gay serving member of High Court". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 31 May 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  5. "President Appoints High Court Judges". President of Ireland. Archived from the original on 20 June 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  6. "Court orders surrender of man to Poland despite judicial independence issues". RTÉ News. 19 November 2018. Archived from the original on 20 June 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  7. "Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly sworn in to Court of Appeal". Irish Legal News. 20 June 2019. Archived from the original on 20 June 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  8. "Judges criticise personalised attacks from Polish media". RTÉ News. Archived from the original on 20 June 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  9. "President appoints Judge Aileen Donnelly to the Court of Appeal". President of Ireland. Archived from the original on 20 June 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  10. "Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly nominated for appointment to Court of Appeal". Irish Legal News. 12 June 2019. Archived from the original on 20 June 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  11. "Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly set for Supreme Court". www.lawsociety.ie. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  12. "Diary President Appoints Justice Aileen Donnelly S.c To The Supreme Court". president.ie. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  13. "Three judges nominated for appointment to Supreme Court and Court of Appeal". The Irish Times. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
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