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Updated to 23 October 2025 (Act No. 10 of 2025 and S.I. No. 506 of 2025)

Courts Service Act 1998
No. 8 of 1998

Contents

Commencement

Section Commencement/Effective Date
Where the commencement and effective dates differ, the effective date is shown below.
 Commencement Information
Ss. 1, 2 16 April 1998 Commenced pursuant to s. 1(2)
Ss. 3 - 35 9 November 1999 Courts Service Act 1998 (Commencement) (Remaining Provisions) Order 1999 (S.I. No. 336 of 1999)
S. 36 16 April 1998 Commenced pursuant to s. 1(2)
Ss. 37 - 43 16 May 1998 Commenced pursuant to s. 1(3)

Amendments and other effects

How Affected Affecting Provision Affecting Provision Commencement/Effective Date
Where the commencement and effective dates differ, the effective date is shown below.
 Commencement Source
S. 2 amended Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017 (28/2017), ss. 1(2), 33(a) 27 November 2017 Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017 (Commencement) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 530 of 2017), art. 2
S. 3 establishment day appointed Courts Service Act, 1998 (Establishment Day) Order, 1999 (S.I. No. 349 of 1999), art. 2 9 November 1999 Courts Service Act, 1998 (Establishment Day) Order, 1999 (S.I. No. 349 of 1999), art. 2
S. 5(d) am. Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008 (14/2008), ss. 1(2), 17(a) 1 August 2008 Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008 (Commencement) Order 2008 (S.I. No. 274 of 2008), art. 3(2)
S. 5 (d) appl. Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 (31/2004), ss. 1 (3), 35 (2) 21 July 2004 Commenced on enactment
S. 5(e) am. Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008 (14/2008), ss. 1(2), 17(b) 1 August 2008 Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008 (Commencement) Order 2008 (S.I. No. 274 of 2008), art. 3(2)
S. 5(f) par. ins. Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008 (14/2008), ss. 1(2), 17(c) 1 August 2008 Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008 (Commencement) Order 2008 (S.I. No. 274 of 2008), art. 3(2)
S. 5A inserted Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017 (28/2017), ss. 1(2), 33(b) 27 November 2017 Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017 (Commencement) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 530 of 2017), art. 2
S. 5B inserted Judicial Council Act 2019 (33/2019), ss. 1(2), 97 16 December 2019 Judicial Council Act 2019(Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2019 (S.I. No. 640 of 2019), art. 2(k)
S. 6(2)(ga) par. ins. Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008 (14/2008), ss. 1(2), 18 1 October 2008 Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008 (Commencement) Order 2008 (S.I. No. 274 of 2008), art. 3(3)
S. 6(2)(i) am. Courts and Court Officers Act 2009 (36/2009), ss. 1(2), 24(a) 4 December 2009 Courts and Court Officers Act 2009 (Commencement) Order 2009 (S.I. No. 477 of 2009), art. 2
S. 6(2)(j) amended Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 (18/2023), ss. 1(4), 118(a)(i) 31 July 2023 Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 (Commencement) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 389 of 2023), art. 3(p)
  Courts and Court Officers Act 2009 (36/2009), ss. 1(2), 24(b) 4 December 2009 Courts and Court Officers Act 2009 (Commencement) Order 2009 (S.I. No. 477 of 2009), art. 2
S. 6(2)(k) amended Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 (18/2023), ss. 1(4), 118(a)(ii) 31 July 2023 Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 (Commencement) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 389 of 2023), art. 3(b)
S. 6(2)(k) par. ins. Courts and Court Officers Act 2009 (36/2009), ss. 1(2), 24(c) 4 December 2009 Courts and Court Officers Act 2009 (Commencement) Order 2009 (S.I. No. 477 of 2009), art. 2
S. 6(2)(l), (m) inserted Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 (18/2023), ss. 1(4), 118(a)(ii) 31 July 2023 Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 (Commencement) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 389 of 2023), art. 3(p)
S. 7(1) substituted Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 (18/2023), ss. 1(4), 118(b)(i) 31 July 2023 Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 (Commencement) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 389 of 2023), art. 3(p)
S. 7(1A) inserted Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 (18/2023), ss. 1(4), 118(b)(ii) 31 July 2023 Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 (Commencement) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 389 of 2023), art. 3(p)
S. 8(1), subec. substit. Courts and Court Officers Act, 2002 (15/2002), s.38 10 April 2002 Commenced on enactment
S. 10A, new s. retro. Courts and Court Officers Act, 2002 (15/2002), ss. 1 (5), 39 9 November 1999 Commenced as per s. 1(5)
S. 11(1)(bb), (bc) ins. Court of Appeal Act 2014 (18/2014), ss. 1(2), 57(a) 28 October 2014 Court of Appeal Act 2014 (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2014 (S.I. No. 479 of 2014), art. 2(b), (c)
S. 11(1)(i) del. Court of Appeal Act 2014 (18/2014), ss. 1(2), 57(b) 28 October 2014 Court of Appeal Act 2014 (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2014 (S.I. No. 479 of 2014), art. 2(b), (c)
S. 13 (1), subsec. substit. retro. Courts and Court Officers Act, 2002 (15/2002), ss. 1 (5), 40 9 November 1999 Commenced as per s. 1(5)
S. 13A, new s. retro. Courts and Court Officers Act, 2002 (15/2002), ss. 1 (5), 41 9 November 1999 Commenced as per s. 1(5)
S. 15 (1), subsec. substit. retro. Courts and Court Officers Act, 2002 (15/2002), ss. 1 (5), 42 9 November 1999 Commenced as per s. 1(5)
S. 16(2) trans. of functns. under Finance (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 418 of 2011), arts. 1(2), 3 & sch. 1 29 July 2011 Finance (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 418 of 2011), arts. 1(2)
S. 18 am. Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 (33/2004), ss. 3, 4, 61 (1), 63, sch. 2, pt. 1 6 October 2004 Commenced on enactment
S. 20 (1), subsec. substit. retro. Courts and Court Officers Act, 2002 (15/2002), ss. 1(5), 43(a) 9 November 1999 Commenced as per s. 1(5)
S. 20 (4) am. retro. Courts and Court Officers Act, 2002 (15/2002), ss. 1(5), 43(b) 9 November 1999 Commenced as per s. 1(5)
S. 21(1) amended Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 (18/2023), ss. 1(4), 118(c) 31 July 2023 Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 (Commencement) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 389 of 2023), art. 3(p)
S. 23 am. Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 (33/2004), ss. 3, 4, 61(1), 63, sch. 2, pt. 1 6 October 2004 Commenced on enactment
S. 30 repealed Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008 (14/2008), ss. 1(2), 3(1) and Schedule, pt. 1 1 October 2008 Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008 (Commencement) Order 2008 (S.I. No. 274 of 2008), art. 3(3)(b) 
S. 33, s. Courts and Court Officers Act, 2002 (15/2002), s.44 10 April 2002 Commenced on enactment
S. 33(1) amended Planning and Development Act 2024 (34/2024), ss. 1(3), 631, schedule 7, ref. no. 16 Not yet commenced. Commencement order required under s. 1(3)
S. 33(2)(a) substituted Planning and Development Act 2024 (34/2024), ss. 1(3), 631, schedule 7, ref. no. 16 Not yet commenced. Commencement order required under s. 1(3)
S. 33(3) amended Planning and Development Act 2024 (34/2024), ss. 1(3), 631, schedule 7, ref. no. 16 Not yet commenced. Commencement order required under s. 1(3)
S. 33(6) substituted Planning and Development Act 2024 (34/2024), ss. 1(3), 631, schedule 7, ref. no. 16 Not yet commenced. Commencement order required under s. 1(3)
Sch. 2 amended Courts and Court Officers Act, 2002 (15/2002), s.45 (2) 10 April 2002 Commenced on enactment
  Courts Service Act 1998 (Second Schedule) (Amendment) Order 2004 (S.I. No. 35 of 2004), art. 2 23 January 2004 Courts Service Act 1998 (Second Schedule) (Amendment) Order 2004 (S.I. No. 35 of 2004), art. 2
  Courts Service Act 1998 (Section 29(2)) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 526 of 2011), arts. 1(2), 2 1 November 2011 Courts Service Act 1998 (Section 29(2)) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 526 of 2011), arts. 1(2), 2

SIs made under the Act

SectionSIs made under the Act
S. 3 Courts Service Act 1998 (Establishment Day) Order 1999 (S.I. No. 349 of 1999)
S. 29 District Court Districts and Areas (Amendment) and Variation of Days and Hours (Carrickmacross and Monaghan) Order 2021 (S.I. No. 467 of 2021)
  District Court Districts and Areas (Amendment) and Variation of Days (Portlaoise) (No. 2) Order 2021 (S.I. No. 466 of 2021)
  District Court Districts and Areas (Amendment) and Variation of Days ( Portlaoise) Order 2021 (S.I. No. 465 of 2021)
  District Court (Days and Hours) (August Sittings) Order 2021 (S.I. No. 400 of 2021)
S. 29(2) Courts Service Act 1998 (Section 29(2)) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 526 of 2011)
  Courts Service Act 1998 (Second Schedule) (Amendment) Order 2004 (S.I. No. 35 of 2004)