European Court of Human Rights

The European Court of Human Rights is an institution of the Council of Europe established in 1959 as one of three mechanisms designed to enforce the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

The Court is composed of a number of judges equal to that of contracting states, elected by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe for a nine year term.

Up until 1988 there had been both a Commission, which determined the admissibility of claims, and a part-time Court. Protocol 11 replaced this system with one, full-time Court. As of 31 May 2012 there are 144,650 cases pending before the Court.  The European Convention on Human Rights Act, 2003 gives the Convention further effect in Irish law, providing for a more direct role for the Convention in Irish courts.  

Ann Power SC assumed her position as a judge of the European Court of Human Rights on 3 March 2008.

Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights in cases involving Ireland 

Please note: the text of these, and all other judgments, may be obtained from the website of the European Court of Human Rights which can be accessed by clicking on this link.

1960   Lawless v Ireland (No1)

1961   Lawless v Ireland (No 2)

          Lawless v Ireland (No 3)

1978   Ireland v United Kingdom

1979   Airey v Ireland

1981   Airey v Ireland (Article 50)

1986   Johnston and Others v Ireland

1988   Norris v Ireland

1991   Pine Valley Developments and Others v Ireland

1992   Open Door and Well Woman v Ireland

1993   Pine Valley Developments and Others v Ireland (Article 50)

1994   Keegan v Ireland

2000   Quinn v Ireland

          Heaney and McQuinness v Ireland

          Croke v Ireland   

2001   McElhinney v Ireland

2002   DG v Ireland

2003   Murphy v Ireland

          Doran v Ireland

2004   O'Reilly and Others v Ireland

          McMullen v Ireland

2005            Independent News and Media Plc. & Independent Newspapers (Ireland) Ltd. v.  Ireland

Bosphorus Airways v. Ireland

Panevskii and others v. Ireland

Barry v. Ireland 

2010            Mc Farlane v. Ireland (judgment available here)

A, B and C v. Ireland (judgment available here)  

2011             Superwood Holdings plc and Others v Ireland (judgment available here (PDF 160kb) )

                     TH v Ireland (judgment available here (PDF 198kb) )

2012             C v Ireland (judgment available here (PDF 102kb) )

                     O v Ireland(judgment available here (PDF 113kb) )

                     Magee v Ireland(Decision available here) 

Summary of recent ECHR judgments

For a summary of recent judgments of the ECHR (monthly information notes prepared by the Registry) clink this link.

Click this link for further information on human rights in the Council of Europe and other frameworks.