Proceedings in the Supreme Court will be filmed and broadcast for the first time in the history of the State tomorrow morning.
Television cameras will be allowed in to court to film two judgments being handed down.
The proceedings will be broadcast on RTÉ News Now, rte.ie/news and on TV and radio bulletins during the day.
It will be the first time any recording or transmitting of proceedings in a court case in this country will have been permitted.
Cameras have been allowed into the Supreme Court and other courts on only a handful of occasions in the past. But the courts have never before given permission for legal proceedings to be broadcast.
Remote controlled "robot" cameras being tested in the Supreme Court. pic.twitter.com/qkF159UQGl
— Orla O'Donnell (@Orlaodo) October 23, 2017
Chief Justice Mr Justice Frank Clarke said this would be a way of "demystifying" the courts process. He said it would help explain and create an understanding of the courts.
Satellite van lining up. pic.twitter.com/ySU0YbKyVL
— Orla O'Donnell (@Orlaodo) October 23, 2017
He described this as a "baby step" which may lead to wider filming of the courts in the future, including televising lawyers making their arguments. Although he said the televising of criminal trials or sentencing hearings was "a long way off".
RTE cameraman @PaulDeighano filming in advance of an historic day for @rtenews and the Supreme Court tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/ZsEL0ejc0R
— Orla O'Donnell (@Orlaodo) October 23, 2017
RTÉ's Managing Director of News and Current Affairs Jon Williams welcomed the decision. He said it was vital that justice was not just done but seen to be done.
He added that he hoped the public would be able to see the way justice is delivered in an even more open and transparent manner than at present.
The court will be delivering two judgments - the first concerns a challenge to an extradition request from the US by an Irish man who is wanted there on 51 counts of mortgage fraud.
The second decision concerns a man seeking compensation from the Residential Institutions Redress Board for "significant abuse" he suffered in an institution as a very young child.
The proceedings will be broadcast on RTÉ News Now from around 9.35am tomorrow. It will also be possible to view them on the RTÉ News Now App and at rte.ie/news.
