Judicial Remuneration

Security of remuneration is a key feature of judicial independence. Article 35.5 of the Constitution as originally enacted prohibited the reduction of such remuneration while the judge continued in office. Following the economic crash of 2008, Article 35.5 of the Constitution was amended by a referendum held in November 2011 which now provides as follows:

The remuneration of judges shall not be reduced during their continuance in office save in accordance with this section.
The remuneration of judges is subject to the imposition of taxes, levies or other charges that are imposed by law on persons generally or persons belonging to a particular class.
Where, before or after the enactment of this section, reductions have been or are made by law to the remuneration of persons belonging to classes of persons whose remuneration is paid out of public money and such law states that those reductions are in the public interest, provision may also be made by law to make proportionate reductions to the remuneration of judges.

There are different salaries for judges depending on whether their appointment was prior to 01.01.2012, or after 01.01.2012.

The following are the current salaries payable to judges appointed before the 01.01.2012 inclusive of pension related deduction as per S.I No. 317 of 2022 and the review of building momentum in October 2023.

Chief Justice and President of the Courts
Chief Justice€ 306,362
President of the Court of Appeal € 293,245
President of the High Court€ 284,479
President of the Circuit Court € 258,222
President of the District Court€ 190,386
Ordinary Judges
Judge of the Supreme Court€ 266,974
Judge of the Court of Appeal€ 259,441
Judge of the High Court€ 251,661
Judge of the Circuit Court€ 183,822
Judge of the District Court€ 160,951
The following are the current salaries payable to Judges appointed after the 01.01.2012 inclusive of pension related deduction as per S.I No. 318 of 2022 and the review of building momentum in October 2023.
Year 1Year 2 Year 3
Chief Justice and President of the Courts
Chief Justice€275,727€291,034€306,362
President of the Court of Appeal€263,502€278,356€293,245
President of the High Court€256,031€270,225€284,479
President of the Circuit Court€232,400€245,299€258,222
President of the District Court€171,347€180,860€190,386
Ordinary Judges
Judge of the Supreme Court€240,278€253,611€266,974
Judge of the Court of Appeal€233,478€246,442€259,441
Judge of the High Court€226,494€239,066€251,661
Judge of the Circuit Court€166,270€174,631€183,822
Judge of the District Court€144,856€152,931€160,951