Important Judgments

This section contains a list of important judgments of the Supreme Court. This list of selected case law is necessarily arbitrary and is not intended to be comprehensive. Click on a case name below to access the full text of the judgment in RTF format.

No.         Year         Judgment Title                                                                                                                  
     
 1.  1934

The State (Ryan) -v- Lennon

power of Oireachtas to amend 1922 Constitution

     
 2.  1935

Moore -v- Attorney General of the Irish Free State

personal constitutional rights - ownership of property - jurisdiction of the parliament of the Irish Free State

     
 3.  1939

The State (Burke) -v- Lennon

separation of powers - constitutionality of internment without trial provisions

     
 4.  1947

Buckley -v- Attorney General

personal constitutional rights - right to property - Sinn Féin Funds Act, 1947

     
 5.  1964

State (Quinn) -v- Ryan

powers of the courts as custodians of constitutional rights

     
 6.  1964

People (Attorney General) -v- O Brien

Admissibility of evidence in criminal trial - unintentional violation of the Constitution

     
 7.  1964

Ryan -v- Attorney General

personal constitutional rights - doctrine of unenumerated constitutional rights

     
 8.  1966

People (AG) -v- O Callaghan

criminal law - bail - presumption of innocence - personal constitutional rights - right to liberty

     
 9.  1966

The State (Nicolaou) -v- An Bord Uchtála

adoption - constitutional family is that based on marriage

     
 10.  1970

East Donegal Co-op Ltd. -v- the Attorney General

interpretation of Constitution - presumption of constitutionality of Acts of the Oireachtas

     
 11.  1971

Re Haughey

principles of constitutional justice - fair procedures - Oireachtas powers of inquiry

     
 12.  1971

Byrne -v- Ireland

tort - State has no sovereign immunity from suit

     
 13.  1973

McGee -v- Attorney General

personal constitutional rights - bodily integrity - right to privacy in marriage

     
 14.  1976

The State (Healy) -v- Donoghue

personal constitutional rights - right to legal aid in criminal cases

     
 15.  1980

King -v- Attorney General

validity of statute - trial of offences - incompatibility of offence with provisions of the Constitution

     
 16.  1980

Murphy -v- Attorney General

validity of statute - retrospective effect of law found unconstitutional

     
 17.  1985

State (Trimbole) -v- Governor of Mountjoy Prison

rule of law - personal constitutional rights - right to liberty - deliberate invasion of rights by Executive

     
 18.   1987

Crotty -v- An Taoiseach

executive power - international relations - Single European Act

     
 19.   1990

McGimpsey -v- Ireland

executive power - international relations - constitutionality of agreements between Ireland and UK Government concerning Northern Ireland

     
 20.   1990

People (DPP) -v- Kenny

Admissibility of evidence in criminal trial - violation of the Constitution

 

 21.   1991 Cox -v- Ireland
personal constitutional rights - right to earn livelihood
     
 22.   1992 Attorney General -v- X
personal constitutional rights - right to life of unborn - right to life of mother ? right to travel)
     
 23.   1992 McKinley -v- Minister for Defence
personal constitutional rights - equality - constitutional principles override common law rights
     
 24.   1995 A Ward of Court (witholding medical treatment) (No. 2)
personal constitutional rights - right to life - near vegetative state
     
 25.   1995 McKenna -v- An Taoiseach (No. 2)
separation of powers - public expenditure in referendum campaigns
     
 26.   1999 Laurentiu -v- Minister for Justice
validity of statute - Aliens Act 1935 - deportation
     
 27.   2001 Sinnott -v- Minister for Education
personal constitutional rights - education - separation of powers
     
 28.   2001 The North Western Health Board -v- H.W. & C.W.
personal constitutional rights - bodily integrity - family - welfare of child
     
 29.   2001 T.D. -v- Minister for Education
personal constitutional rights - socio-economic rights - education - separation of powers
     
 30.   2002 Maguire -v- Ardagh
constitutional limits on parliamentary committees' powers
     
 31.   2003 A.O. & O.J.O. -v- Minister for Justice
personal constitutional rights - citizenship - family rights - right to reside - deportation of non-national parents of children who are citizens
     
 32.   2006 A. -v- The Governor of Arbour Hill Prison
validity of actions taken under law subsequently found unconstitutional