Public to help appoint judges

Sir Brian Kerr will chair the commission

Members of the public are to be given a role in choosing judges in Northern Ireland as part of extensive reforms of the judicial selection process.

At the moment, the Lord Chancellor oversees the process of appointing judges, following recommendation from the Northern Ireland Lord Chief Justice, Sir Brian Kerr.

It was announced on Tuesday that a new Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission will take over responsibility for appointing and recommending candidates, up to and including High Court judges.

The 12-strong commission, chaired by Sir Brian, will include five members of the public.

The Court Service is seeking applicants with "knowledge of managing human or financial resources, knowledge of the court system or experience in policy development".

Those interested in the role have until 1 October to apply.

COMMISSION'S MAKE-UP A Lord Justice of Appeal A High Court judge A County Court judge A resident magistrate A lay magistrate A barrister nominated by the General Council of the Bar in Northern Ireland A solicitor nominated by the Law Society of Northern Ireland The five lay members Chaired by the NI Lord Chief Justice, Sir Brian Kerr

Both lay and professional members will be paid £294 a day and be expected to serve for about 24 days a year - a total salary of just over £7,000 per annum.

The Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, said the new system would ensure those considered for appointment would reflect the range of people in Northern Ireland.

Speaking in Belfast, he said: "I believe the commission will help to further enhance public confidence in the justice system by its independence from government, by using open, transparent and accountable processes to recommend appointments to the judiciary solely on the basis of merit."

Lord Falconer said he believed lay members would bring real value to the commission's work.

"Those from outside the legal profession, bringing a range of skills from different backgrounds in society, have a real and important contribution to make in the selection of judges in Northern Ireland," he added.

"This is a new and important development in one of the most vital elements of our democracy."

Sir Brian said commission members would be "pivotal in ensuring that we have a judiciary that will not only discharge its solemn duty to the highest possible standards, but will also command the confidence of the public."

Maggie Beirn from the Committee on the Administration of Justice welcomed the fact that almost anyone can apply.

"Sometimes criminal justice is something that the ordinary member of the public, unless they are touched directly by it, don't get directly involved, don't follow that closely," she said.

"So starting to open up the system, certainly making a more transparent and accountable system of appointing judges, we think is extremely important and we certainly welcome this move."