George Birmingham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Birmingham
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Birmingham in 2024
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| President of the Court of Appeal | |
| In office 4 April 2018 – 24 July 2024 |
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| Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
| Appointed by | Michael D. Higgins |
| Preceded by | Sean Ryan |
| Succeeded by | Caroline Costello |
| Judge of the Court of Appeal | |
| In office 24 October 2014 – 24 July 2024 |
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| Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
| Appointed by | Michael D. Higgins |
| Judge of the High Court | |
| In office 5 June 2007 – 24 October 2014 |
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| Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
| Appointed by | Mary McAleese |
| Minister of State | |
| 1986–1987 | European Affairs |
| 1983–1986 | Education |
| 1982–1986 | Labour |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office June 1981 – June 1989 |
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| Constituency | Dublin North-Central |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 August 1954 Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland |
| Political party | Fine Gael |
| Education | St Paul's College, Raheny |
| Alma mater | |
George Martin Birmingham (born 3 August 1954) is a retired Irish judge. He served as the President of the Court of Appeal from 2018 to 2024. Before that, he was a judge in the same court from 2014, and a judge in the High Court from 2007 to 2014.
Mr. Birmingham also had a career in politics. He was a Teachta Dála (TD), which is a member of the Irish Parliament, for the Dublin North-Central area from 1981 to 1989. He also served as a Minister of State from 1982 to 1987.
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Early Life and Education
George Birmingham was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1954. He went to school at St Paul's College, Raheny. After school, he studied at Trinity College Dublin and King's Inns. At King's Inns, he trained to become a barrister. A barrister is a type of lawyer who represents people in court. He became a barrister in November 1976.
In his early legal career, he worked on cases involving business, crime, and workers' rights.
Becoming a Politician
First Steps in Politics
In December 1976, George Birmingham joined the national executive of Fine Gael, a political party in Ireland. He suggested that the party should ask for a public vote (a referendum) on divorce, and his idea was accepted.
He was first elected to a public role in 1979 for the Raheny area in Dublin. He then became a TD (a member of the Irish Parliament) in the 1981 Irish general election. He represented the Dublin North-Central area. In 1982, he became the Fine Gael spokesperson for urban affairs.
Serving as a Minister
From 1982 to 1987, George Birmingham served as a Minister of State. This role is like a junior minister, helping a senior minister in a government department. He worked under the then-leader of Ireland, Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald.
In December 1982, he became the Minister of State for Labour, focusing on youth affairs. From December 1983, he also helped the Minister for Education, coordinating education and training.
In February 1986, he was appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. In this role, he focused on European Affairs and helping developing countries. He was the first person to hold the specific title of Minister of State for European Affairs. This meant he helped the Minister for Foreign Affairs with matters related to the EEC (which is now the EU). He even traveled to Lusaka to meet with the African National Congress.
Back in Opposition
In the 1987 Irish general election, George Birmingham was re-elected as a TD. However, his party, Fine Gael, lost the election and was no longer in government.
After this, he became the party's spokesperson for Labour in 1987 and then for Education in 1988. He suggested changes to laws about strikes and personal injury claims. In the 1989 Irish general election, George Birmingham did not win his seat in Parliament again.
His Legal Work
After leaving politics in 1989, George Birmingham went back to being a barrister. In 1999, he became a Senior Counsel. This is a special title for experienced barristers.
He worked on many criminal law cases, often representing the state through the Director of Public Prosecutions. This office decides if someone should be charged with a crime. He also represented people who were injured during the Lansdowne Road football riot.
He was also the chairperson of the Censorship of Publications Appeals Board. In 1996, the Minister for Justice asked him to lead a group that advised on criminal law. He also led a special investigation into a case known as the Dean Lyons case.
Becoming a Judge
On 3 May 2007, it was announced that George Birmingham would become a High Court judge. He started this role in June 2007. The High Court deals with serious legal cases.
In October 2014, when the Court of Appeal was created, he was one of the first judges appointed to it. The Court of Appeal hears cases where people want a higher court to review a decision made by a lower court.
Leading the Court of Appeal
On 24 April 2018, the Government of Ireland chose George Birmingham to be the President of the Court of Appeal. As President, he also became a member of the Supreme Court, which is the highest court in Ireland.
His appointment caused some discussion because he had been a politician for Fine Gael in the 1980s. However, he took on the role.
In 2018, he pointed out that the court needed more judges to handle all the appeals. Because of this, a law was changed in 2019 to increase the number of Court of Appeal judges to fifteen, helping to speed up the legal process.
George Birmingham retired from his role as a judge in July 2024. It was later announced that he would take on a new role as the Independent Examiner of Security Legislation from December.
