The Supreme Court dealt with an increased number of applications during 2022 as it returned to more normal activity as COVID restrictions were removed, according to its annual report.

Writing in the report, registrar John Mahon noted that the court had no backlog at the end of 2022, and that all scheduled hearings had taken place.

“The court has been in a position during 2022 to fulfil the indicative timeline for the hearing of an appeal of between 13 and 16 weeks from the grant of leave,” he added.

The report shows that 145 applications for leave to appeal were filed – on a par with 2021. There was an increase in the total number of applications dealt with by the court (148). This figure included three from 2021.

Just under one-third of applications for leave were granted by the court.

‘Important implications’

Mahon noted that there was a significant increase in the number of direct applications (60) for leave to appeal from the High Court, with the figure returning to the level seen in the years before 2021.

“The balance between the level of applications for leave to appeal filed from the Court of Appeal, and that of applications filed directly from the High Court, has important implications for the administration of the court’s list, and for that of the respective courts,” he added.

Chief Justice Donal O’Donnell welcomed the resumption of activities that had been curtailed by the pandemic – including a summer placement programme for students, and engagement with courts from other jurisdictions.