Judicial Council spends over €250k on training for judges

Judicial Council spent more than €250,000 on judge training, including courses on trauma, bias and coercive control.

More than €250,000 has been spent on training for judges, including courses on avoiding retraumatising victims and understanding coercive control.

The Judicial Council said it spent €77,200 on non-legal training in 2025, covering courses on judgment writing, managing bias in the courtroom, and communicating with children.

Spending records also detail €125,000 on courses in 2024, including training on “judicial frankness,” courtroom control, and “the voice of the child.”

Judges also undertook a large number of visits to prisons and other institutions to gain a better understanding of the penal system.

These visits included Mountjoy Prison in Dublin, the high-security Portlaoise Prison, and the Oberstown Centre for young offenders.

According to data released under FOI, the programme also included courses on human rights and working with the LGBT+ and Traveller communities.

Other courses covered neurodiversity and ADHD, as well as “unconscious bias” and a mentorship programme.

Judges participated in outreach programmes with newer communities in Ireland, including the Russian Orthodox, African, and Muslim communities.

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

Spending between September 2023 and October 2025 — the most recent period available — totalled €250,718, according to the records.

While records did not provide a detailed breakdown for each course, overall expenditure included training and travel-related costs for events held outside Ireland.

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

The council organised an exchange programme with the Spanish judiciary in 2024, alongside additional EU-based training.

Judges also attended several large-scale events in Ireland for the District Court, Circuit Court, and Superior Courts.

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

It said this work focuses on three areas: substantive law, “judgecraft,” and the social context of being a judge.

The council said training includes 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 play an essential role, particularly for specialist judges with specific areas of expertise.

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