Applications for nomination for election as a judge of the European Court of Human Rights

Applications are sought for nomination by the Government as a candidate for election to the European Court of Human Rights.

The European Court of Human Rights, based in Strasbourg, is tasked with interpreting and applying the European Convention on Human Rights and its Protocols. The Court delivers decisions and judgments in respect of individual and inter-state applications, as well as advisory opinions.

The Court is comprised of judges elected by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in respect of each of the contracting parties to the European Convention on Human Rights.

Criteria and terms of office

Candidates must satisfy the criteria for office set out at Article 21 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Candidates must possess the qualifications required for appointment to high judicial office, or be jurisconsults of recognised competence. Candidates must be less than 65 years of age as of 11 March 2024.*

Judges sit on the Court in an individual capacity, and during their term of office must not engage in any activity which is incompatible with their independence, impartiality, or the demands of full-time office.

Procedure

Judges are elected by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, by a majority of votes cast, from a list of three candidates nominated by the Government. Applicants are referred to the candidate information booklet, available to download here.

The election of a judge in respect of Ireland is currently scheduled for the April 2024 session of the Parliamentary Assembly. The term of office of the judge elected in respect of Ireland will commence not later than three months from the date of his or her election. Judges are elected for a non-renewable term of nine years.

Applications

Applicants should submit a letter of application accompanied by a curriculum vitae in the prescribed format (available on request from ecthrapplications@dfa.ie).

Completed applications must be submitted by email only to ecthrapplications@dfa.ie no later than 5:00pm (IST) on Monday 9 October 2023 to:

     Barra Lysaght, Legal Division, Department of Foreign Affairs, 2 Clonmel Street, Dublin D02 WD63.

 * The advertisement previously stated in error that the relevant date was 1 February 2023.