Judicial Exchange Programme 2024
Today, the Supreme Court was pleased to welcome Mr Kostiantyn Pilkov, Judge of the Supreme Court of Ukraine, and Ms Isabelle De Silva, President of the 6th Chamber of the Conseil d’État, to Ireland. Judge Pilkov and Judge De Silva are participating in this year’s judicial exchange programme which has been organised under the auspices of two international judicial networks of which the Supreme Court of Ireland is a member: ACA-Europe and the Network of the Presidents of the Supreme Judicial Courts of the European Union.
ACA-Europe is an organisation comprising the Councils of State or the supreme administrative jurisdictions of each of the members of the European Union ('EU') and the Courts of Justice of the European Union ('CJEU'). Through ACA-Europe, the Supreme Court of Ireland exchanges views and information with other member institutions on jurisprudence and the functioning of courts, particularly with regard to EU law. The objectives of ACA-Europe are to obtain a better understanding of EU law and a better knowledge of the functioning of the other supreme administrative courts in the implementation of EU law; to improve the mutual trust between judges of the supreme administrative courts; to foster an effective and efficient functioning of administrative justice in the EU; to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas on the rule of law in the administrative judicial systems; and to ensure access to the decisions of the supreme administrative courts implementing EU law.
The Network of the Presidents of the Supreme Judicial Courts of the European Union comprises the Presidents of the Supreme Courts of EU Member States with general jurisdiction (as opposed to constitutional courts or courts with final jurisdiction in particular areas of law, such as supreme administrative courts). The purpose of the Network is to provide a forum through which the Supreme Court Presidents can meet and discuss issues of common interest and exchange ideas. It also acts as an avenue through which European institutions can consult with EU Supreme Courts.
Over the course of the next two weeks, the visiting judges will observe hearings across the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court related to their respective areas of expertise, and meet with judges and Courts Service officials to discuss the functioning of the courts system in Ireland and matters of mutual interest.