Government of Ireland Act 1920

47 Provisions as to judicature before and after Irish union

(1) All matters relating to the Supreme Court of Southern Ireland, the Supreme Court of Northern Ireland and the High Court of Appeal for Ireland shall be reserved matters until the date of Irish union, but the constituent Acts, or any Act of the Parliament of Ireland, may provide for the amalgamation of the Supreme Court of Southern Ireland and the Supreme Court of Northern Ireland and the abolition or merger in the court so constituted of the High Court of Appeal for Ireland, and may provide, as respects judges appointed after the date of Irish union, for such judges being appointed by the Lord Lieutenant and the substitution of an address from both Houses of the Parliament of Ireland for an address from both Houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom in the provisions relating to the removal of judges, and for the salaries and pensions of such judges being charged on and paid out of the Irish Consolidated Fund instead of the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom. The reservation of matters relating to Supreme Courts as aforesaid shall not extend to the regulation of the profession of solicitors.

(2) The provisions of this Act as to existing judges and existing pensions shall, after the date of Irish union, with the necessary modifications, extend to the judges who at that date are judges of any of the said courts, and to any pensions which at that date are payable to any persons on account of service as such judges.