JUSTICES JOHN MACMENAMIN and Frank Clarke have taken the constitutional declaration in the Supreme Court today sealing their appointment to the court which had been announced last month.

Judge MacMenamin and Clarke were appointed to the court last month by the President Michael D Higgins. Their appointment was widely welcomed in legal and political circles.

They replace Justice Fidelma Macken and Justice Joe Finnegan, who both retired last month. At the time it was noted that both new appointees were former stalwarts of Fine Gael.

The Irish Independent reported that former High Court judge MacMenamin had been a chief advisor to Finance Minister Michael Noonan during the 2002 general election when Noonan was Fine Gael leader.

While Clarke, a former Commercial Court judge, is a former election agent and speechwriter for former Fine Gael minister George Bermingham, who is now a High Court judge.

Both men have served as chairmen of the Bar Council and were near contemporaries at UCD, the Irish Times noted.

Pictures: Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland

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