Three vacancies on the High Court bench were advertised last week -– and a number of other openings are due to arise on the superior courts over the coming years.

In a notice posted on the Courts Service website, the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board advertised three posts on the High Court and one on the District Court. Applications are welcome from practising barristers and solicitors who can provide a tax clearance certificate before the closing date of October 24th. Serving judges do not have to apply to the advisory board for promotion to a higher court.

Separately, Judges Mary Laffoy and Elizabeth Dunne, having been nominated by the Government for promotion to the Supreme Court, are expected to be sworn in over the coming weeks, bringing that court's membership to 10 for the first time.

A glut of further appointments will come with the establishment of a Court of Appeal, which – having been passed by referendum – is due to be up and running in autumn next year.

Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has suggested there will be 10 judges on that court, but he has not indicated a preference for promoting trial judges or appointing barristers directly from the law library. Either way, there will be a considerable number of senior judicial vacancies to fill over the coming year.