Westport solicitor Seamus F Hughes, who also acts as a State solicitor, is to be appointed as a District Court judge.
Mr Hughes, who received a BCL degree from UCD before qualifying as a solicitor in 1975, will preside over District Court sittings in Donegal. He is expected to take up the position in October.
Following the announcement of his appointment this week he told the Mayo Advertiser that he was looking forward to the challenge this new opportunity provided. “I’m looking forward to sitting on the bench in Donegal and to developing a good working relationship with all the court participants I will come into contact with there,” Mr Hughes added.
From 1978 to date Mr Hughes has run his own practice in Westport. He was a member of Dáil Éireann for the constituency of west Mayo from 1992 to 1997 and has served as a member of both Mayo County Council and Westport Town Council. Mr Hughes’ practice includes such areas as conveyancing, chancery, commercial, contract and tort, as well as criminal work.
He was one of two appointments announced this week, the second being Mr Brendan Toale, a Dublin based solicitor. The Government made the announcement after vacancies were created by the death of Judge Derek McVeigh and the retirement of Judge Oliver McGuinness.
The two solicitors will be appointed as District Court judges by the President Mary McAleese.
