Judge Síofra O’Leary is elected president of ECtHR
Ireland鈥檚 Judge S铆ofra O鈥橪eary has been elected president of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) this afternoon (19 September).
Ambassador Breifne O鈥橬eill, Permanent Representative of Ireland to the Council of Europe, said this afternoon that the election was a very significant achievement for Judge O鈥橪eary personally.
'Very good news'
鈥淚t also reflects well on the country. It鈥檚 very good news,鈥 he said.
The ambassador added that Judge O鈥橪eary was well-known in Europe and very highly regarded.
She will take office on 1 November, when current Judge Robert Spano steps down. O鈥橪eary is the first female president of the court.
Last November Judge O鈥橪eary was elected as the ECtHR vice president. Her election will be welcomed by human-rights campaigners as a boost to the court as well as to Ireland鈥檚 international reputation.
UCD law graduate
UCD BCL graduate O鈥橪eary was born in Dublin in 1968. She specialises in fundamental rights, EU employment law, the free movement of persons and services, and EU citizenship.
She received her Ph.D in European law in 1993 at the European University Institute in Florence.
From 1996, Judge O'Leary held the position of 搁茅蹿茅谤别苍诲补颈谤别 (consultant) at the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg (CJEU), where she became 鈥Chef de Cabinet鈥 from 2000 to 2004.