<P> The Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, and the High Court are the only courts specifically required by the Constitution . Other courts are established by law . Beneath the superior courts are the Circuit Court and the District Court . The Circuit Court deals with matters that must be tried before a jury . The District Court deals only with minor matters that may be tried summarily . </P> <P> The Constitution provides for only two institutions in which a serious crime may be tried in the absence of a jury: a military tribunal, and a special court established by law to try serious offences whenever this is considered to be in the interests of justice or public order . Such a court has been established in the form of the Special Criminal Court, which has been used to try those accused of being members of paramilitary organisations such as the Provisional IRA, or of leading organised crime . </P> <P> Judges are appointed by the President of Ireland, acting on the binding advice of the Government . The Government themselves act on the advice of the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board who submit a list of seven recommended candidates . However the government are not bound to follow the advice of the Board and may decide to appoint other qualified individuals . The Board advertises vacant positions but does not seek out candidates or conduct interviews . </P> <P> Traditionally Superior and Circuit Court judges were barristers before being appointed to the bench, while District Court judges were solicitors . Michael White became the first solicitor to be appointed to the Circuit Court in 1996 and Michael Peart became the first solicitor to appointed to the High Court in 2002 . White was made a High Court judge in 2011 . </P>

Who appoints judges to the courts in ireland