Council & Committees

The members of the Bar Council are elected annually by the members of the Law Library. The Council consists of 10 practitioners from the Inner Bar, 10 practitioners from the Outer Bar and four co-optees.  The Council is chaired by a Chairperson elected by members of The Council.

The General Council of The Bar of Ireland 2025 – 2026

Chair of The Council of the Bar of Ireland

Seán Guerin SC, Member of the Inner Bar.

Seán Guerin SC is a native of Wexford town with a strong family connection to County Clare. Educated at St. Peter’s College Wexford and St. Andrew’s College, Dublin, he studied law at University College Dublin and Université de Nancy II (France) and qualified as a barrister at the Honourable Society of King’s Inns Dublin and was called to the Bar in 1997. He has postgraduate qualifications in law from UCD (commercial law) and King’s College London (European law). He has been in practice at the Bar of Ireland since 1998 and was called to the Inner Bar and appointed Senior Counsel in 2013.

Seán is based at the Law Library in Dublin, and practices mainly in public law, including criminal, regulatory and administrative law. 

Inner Bar Panel

Chair: Seán Guerin SC

Vice Chair: Seamus Clarke SC

Treasurer: Darren Lehane SC

Outer Bar Panel

Co-optees:

Permanent Committees of the Council of The Bar of Ireland

The following Permanent Committees are provided for under the Constitution of the Council of the Bar of Ireland, and reflect central priorities and activities of the Law Library, and the delivery of services to our members.

Standing Committee

This committee comprises of the chairs of the permanent committees, Chairman and Vice-chair, and Treasurer. The business of the Standing Committee shall be to consider, and if necessary determine, all such matters within the competence of the Council as may be of an extremely urgent nature and require such determination between meetings of the Council.

Ciara Murphy is Secretary.

Chair: Seán Guerin SC

Co-optees:

Library Committee

The Library Committee deals with all matters relating to admission to the Law Library, and membership
thereof, including matters relating to the acquisition and maintenance of the materials, whether in book or electronic form, necessary within the Library for the profession.

Samantha de Paor is Secretary.

Chair: Colm O’Dwyer SC

Co-optees

  • to be confirmed

Professional Practices Committee

This Committee monitors all matters concerning the proper professional practice of members of the Law Library and may investigate and, if thought fit, prefer and present a complaint against any member without the necessity of having the matter referred to it by any third party.

Brian O’Driscoll is Secretary to this Committee.

Chair: Michael D Hourigan SC

Co-optees

  • to be confirmed

Finance Committee

This Committee deals with all matters relating to the finances of the Council and its associate companies for the maintenance and development of the Law Library, Council properties, and IT infrastructure.

Colin Potts is Secretary to this Committee.

Chair: Darren Lehane SC

Co-optees

  • to be confirmed

Education & Training Committee

The Education & Training Committee oversees training for new entrants (including master/devil relationships) and CPD for the membership at large, including ensuring that the profession’s CPD requirements are met, and supports to barristers in practice are in place in light of the longer-term implications of regulation under the LSRA.

Stephen Swanton is Secretary to this Committee.

Chair: Derek Sheahan SC

Co-optees

  • to be confirmed

Public Affairs Committee

The Public Affairs Committee assists in the promotion of members establishes and maintains appropriate links with all regional and Specialist Bar Associations, the Voluntary Assistance Scheme (VAS), and Irish Rule of Law International (IRLI), and fosters relations and communications between the Council and outside bodies.

The Secretary to this Committee will be the Director of Communications & Policy

Chair: Bairbre O’Neill SC

Co-optees

  • to be confirmed

Young Bar Committee

The Young Bar Committee provides a forum for Young Bar members, and co-ordinates initiatives directed at the needs of practitioners who practise in Years 1-7, as well as contributing to wider Bar priorities.

Stephen Swanton is Secretary to this Committee

Chair: Tanya Smith BL

Council Co-optees

  • to be confirmed

Circuit Liaison Committee

The Circuit Liaison Committee provides a forum for practitioners to address matters that arise for members practising on Circuit, as well as maintaining close library and professional development connections.

Lindsay Bond is Secretary to this committee.

Chair: Tim O’Connor BL

Co-optees

  • to be confirmed

Non-Permanent Committees of the Council of The Bar of Ireland

The following Non-Permanent Committees reflect the continuing priorities and activities of the Law Library and the delivery of services to our members.

ADR & Arbitration
Committee

This Committee raises awareness of ADR practices among practitioners and the wider public through
partnerships with relevant stakeholders, a programme of education, and its inclusion in wider Bar debates.

Secretary: Rose Fisher

Chair: Michael C O’Connor SC

Co-optees

  • to be confirmed

Criminal State Bar Committee

This Committee monitors trends and developments within the criminal Bar, liaising with key justice stakeholders on issues of concern, including the Department of Justice and Equality, the Office of the DPP, and others.

Secretary: Ciara Murphy

Chair: Aoife O’Leary BL

Co-optees

  • to be confirmed

Civil State Bar Committee

This Committee engages with State agencies on whose behalf members are routinely briefed including the Attorney General, Chief State Solicitor’s Office, the Legal Aid Board, and the State Claims Agency.

Secretary: TBC

Chair: Cliona Cleary BL

Co-optees

Equality & Resilience Committee

This Committee oversees the development and implementation of initiatives that promote equality and diversity at the Bar, ensuring where possible that a member’s ability to achieve their potential is not limited by prejudice or discrimination.

Secretary: Stephen Swanton

Chair: Femi Daniyan BL

Co-optees

  • to be confirmed

Human Rights Committee

This Committee works to promote justice and respect for human rights through the rule of law. It monitors human rights issues, in particular those involving lawyers who are endangered, and engages with various human rights groups.

Secretary: Molly Eastman McCarthy

Chair: Simon Donagh BL

Co-optees

Property Development 
Committee

This Committee is responsible for the strategic planning of the Bar’s property concerns, and how it delivers for the membership and it’s future needs.

Secretary: Colin Potts

Chair: Sara Antoniotti SC