Rules of the Superior Courts (Judicial Review) 2011.

• Statutory Instrument No.: 691/2011
• Published date: 30 December 2011

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 30th December, 2011.

We, the Superior Courts Rules Committee, constituted pursuant to the provisions of the Courts of Justice Act 1936 , section 67, by virtue of the powers conferred upon us by The Courts of Justice Act 1924 , section 36, and the Courts of Justice Act 1936 , section 68 (as applied by the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act 1961 , section 48), the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act 1961 , section 14, and of all other powers enabling us in this behalf, do hereby make the following Rules of Court.

Dated this 28th day of November 2011.

Susan Denham

Nicholas Kearns

Joseph Finnegan

Elizabeth Dunne

John Edwards

Paul McGarry

Gerard Meehan

Patrick Groarke

Patrick O’Connor

Mary Cummins

Noel Rubotham

Geraldine Manners

I concur in the making of the following Rules of Court.

Dated this 20th day of December, 2011.

ALAN SHATTER,

Minister for Justice and Equality.

S.I. No. 691 of 2011

RULES OF THE SUPERIOR COURTS (JUDICIAL REVIEW) 2011

1. (1) These Rules, which may be cited as the Rules of the Superior Courts (Judicial Review) 2011, shall come into operation on the 1st day of January 2012.

(2) These Rules shall be construed together with the Rules of the Superior Courts.

(3) The Rules of the Superior Courts as amended by these Rules may be cited as the Rules of the Superior Courts 1986 to 2011.

2. The Rules of the Superior Courts are amended by the substitution for rules 18 to 28 inclusive of Order 84 of the rules set out in Schedule 1.

3. The Forms in Schedule 2 shall be substituted for Form No. 13 in Appendix T.

4. Notwithstanding the amendments made by these Rules, an application for leave to apply for judicial review by way of certiorari may, where the grounds for such application first arose on a date before the date on which these Rules come into operation, be made within six months from the date when the grounds for the application first arose.

Schedule 1

“V. Judicial review.

18. (1) An application for an order of certiorari, mandamus, prohibition or quo warranto shall be made by way of an application for judicial review in accordance with the provisions of this Order.

(2) An application for a declaration or an injunction may be made by way of an application for judicial review, and on such an application the Court may grant the declaration or injunction claimed if it considers that, having regard to—

(a) the nature of the matters in respect of which relief may be granted by way of an order of mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, or quo warranto,

(b) the nature of the persons and bodies against whom relief may be granted by way of such order, and

(c) all the circumstances of the case,

it would be just and convenient for the declaration or injunction to be granted on an application for judicial review.

19. On an application for judicial review any relief mentioned in rule 18(1) or (2) may be claimed as an alternative or in addition to any other relief so mentioned if it arises out of or relates to or is connected with the same matter and in any event the Court may grant any relief mentioned in rules 18(1) or (2) which it considers appropriate notwithstanding that it has not been specifically claimed.

20. (1) No application for judicial review shall be made unless the leave of the Court has been obtained in accordance with this rule.

(2) An application for such leave shall be made by motion ex parte grounded upon—

(a) a notice in Form No. 13 in Appendix T containing:

(i) the name, address and description of the applicant,

(ii) a statement of each relief sought and of the particular grounds upon which each such relief is sought,

(iii) where any interim relief is sought, a statement of the orders sought by way of interim relief and a statement of the particular grounds upon which each such order is sought,

(iv) the name and registered place of business of the applicant’s solicitors (if any), and

(v) the applicant’s address for service within the jurisdiction (if acting in person); and

(b) an affidavit, in Form No. 14 in Appendix T, which verifies the facts relied on.

Such affidavit shall be entitled:

THE HIGH COURT

JUDICIAL REVIEW

BETWEEN A.B.... APPLICANT

AND

C.D.... RESPONDENT

(3) It shall not be sufficient for an applicant to give as any of his grounds for the purposes of paragraphs (ii) or (iii) of sub-rule (2)(a) an assertion in general terms of the ground concerned, but the applicant should state precisely each such ground, giving particulars where appropriate, and identify in respect of each ground the facts or matters relied upon as supporting that ground.

(4) The Court hearing an application for leave may, on such terms, if any, as it thinks fit—

(a) allow the applicant’s statement to be amended, whether by specifying different or additional grounds of relief or otherwise,

(b) where it thinks fit, require the applicant’s statement to be amended by setting out further and better particulars of the grounds on which any relief is sought.

(5) The Court shall not grant leave unless it considers that the applicant has a sufficient interest in the matter to which the application relates.

(6) Where leave is sought to apply for an order of certiorari to remove for the purpose of its being quashed any judgement, order, conviction or other proceeding which is subject to appeal and a time is limited for the bringing of the appeal, the Court may adjourn the application for leave until the appeal is determined or the time for appealing has expired.

(7) If the Court grants leave, it may impose such terms as to costs as it thinks fit and may require an undertaking as to damages.

(8) Where leave to apply for judicial review is granted then the Court, should it consider it just and convenient to do so, may, on such terms as it thinks fit—

(a) grant such interim relief as could be granted in an action begun by plenary summons,

(b) where the relief sought is an order of prohibition or certiorari, make an order staying the proceedings, order or decision to which the application relates until the determination of the application for judicial review or until the Court otherwise orders.

21. (1) An application for leave to apply for judicial review shall be made within three months from the date when grounds for the application first arose.

(2) Where the relief sought is an order of certiorari in respect of any judgement, order, conviction or other proceeding, the date when grounds for the application first arose shall be taken to be the date of that judgement, order, conviction or proceeding.

(3) Notwithstanding sub-rule (1), the Court may, on an application for that purpose, extend the period within which an application for leave to apply for judicial review may be made, but the Court shall only extend such period if it is satisfied that:—

(a) there is good and sufficient reason for doing so, and

(b) the circumstances that resulted in the failure to make the application for leave within the period mentioned in sub-rule (1) either—

(i) were outside the control of, or

(ii) could not reasonably have been anticipated by

the applicant for such extension.

(4) In considering whether good and sufficient reason exists for the purposes of sub-rule (3), the court may have regard to the effect which an extension of the period referred to in that sub-rule might have on a respondent or third party.

(5) An application for an extension referred to in sub-rule (3) shall be grounded upon an affidavit sworn by or on behalf of the applicant which shall set out the reasons for the applicant’s failure to make the application for leave within...