Judges are “very hopeful” that full court sittings will be able to resume as soon as tomorrow (22 May) after detailed advice to the Courts Service on the question of the length of sittings.

A statement from the Courts Service said full sittings could resume once certain additional procedures had been put in place. “A further update will be issued in the near future,” it added.

Two hours

On Wednesday, the Chief Justice and other presidents of the courts said they were limiting court sittings to two hours.

This followed advice given to the Houses of the Oireachtas before a committee meeting earlier this week about people who may be in the same room for more than two hours, even though they are practising social distancing.

'Bizarre'

The Law Society had expressed concern at the two-hour decision, with director general Ken Murphy describing the development as “bizarre and very frustrating”.

“It is bordering on bizarre that Ireland is being given this advice for the first time, more than two months into the COVID-19 crisis, where the public health advice, up to now, has been admirably clear,” he said.