The Supreme Court proposes to recommence the physical hearing of appeals in the Four Courts in October. To facilitate the health and safety of participants and of the public to the extent possible it is expected that:
- Persons will not attend appeal hearings if they are experiencing Covid 19 symptoms or have tested positive for Covid 19.
- Persons attending will wear a face covering at all times unless they are addressing the Court and will exercise good respiratory and hand hygiene and practice social distancing.
- Parties will be entitled to make an application for a hearing to proceed remotely if they can establish a good reason.
The arrangements in this regard will be reviewed after the 22nd October, 2021.
The attention of parties and of members of the public is also drawn to the contents of the Courts Service Notice for Michaelmas Term available here https://www.courts.ie/news/courts-service-covid-19-notice-michaelmas-term-2021-0.
The Court will adopt any other measures including physical distancing within the courtroom, the staggering of the commencement times of proceedings and the taking of breaks to permit increased ventilation within the courtroom, that it considers necessary to further facilitate the health and safety of participants and of the public to the extent possible.
Case management hearings and other court business will continue to be conducted remotely unless a party puts forward a cogent reason why a physical hearing is necessary.