Judicial Council spends over €250k on training for judges

Ken Foxe

More than €250,000 was spent on training for judges, including courses on how to avoid retraumatising victims and understanding coercive control.

The Judicial Council said they had spent €77,200 on non-legal training in 2025, with courses on how to write judgments, managing bias in the courtroom, and communicating with children.

A record of spending also details €125,000 worth of courses in 2024 with training on “judicial frankness,” courtroom control, and “the voice of the child.”

Judges also made a large number of visits to prisons and other institutions to help better understand the penal system.

This included trips to Mountjoy in Dublin, high-security Portlaoise Prison, and the Oberstown Centre for young offenders.

There were courses too on human rights and working with the LGBTQ+ and Traveller communities, according to data released under FOI.

Other courses listed included training on neurodiversity and ADHD as well as “unconscious bias” and a mentorship programme.
Judges took part in outreach programmes with newer groups living in Ireland including the Russian Orthodox community, the African community, and the Muslim community.

The Judicial Council also provided language training for the judiciary with French, German, and Irish lessons available.

Spending between September 2023 and October 2025 – the latest figures available – came to €250,718, according to the records.

Details of the bill for each course were not provided but the overall expenditure did include some training and travel-related expenses for events outside Ireland.

In 2023, a residential course on judicial accountability took place with the European Judicial Training Network, which is based in Brussels.

An exchange programme was organised with the Spanish judiciary in 2024 with further EU training taking place as well.

There were also multiple larger events organised within Ireland for judges of the District Court, Circuit Court, and the Superior Courts.

The Judicial Council said one of their statutory functions was to promote and maintain the continuing education of judges.

It said there were three dimensions to this: substantive law, ‘judgecraft’, and the social context of being a judge.

The Judicial Council said training included lectures, small-group workshops, and full-day conferences.

An information note said: “To minimise disruption to court operations, training is scheduled predominantly before or after court sessions, during lunchtime, or in the vacation period.

“Releasing judges from court for training during regular sitting times is generally only facilitated where a suitable alternative arrangement can be made.”

The council said international courses were an essential part of their work especially for specialist judges with particular areas of expertise.

“In many instances the Irish judiciary participate in international events as both speakers and participants,” the note explained.