The Supreme Court and EU Law: Reshuffling Institutional Balance

Abstract

Irish Courts are not exclusively national courts. They form an integral part of a pan-European Union legal network where domestic courts are increasingly viewed, at least by the Court of Justice of the European Union (EUCJ) as European Courts. Just as national courts are interwoven in this pan-European judicial structure, domestic laws too are interwoven with EU Law with the state under an obligation to give effect to EU law. Interpretation, including resolution of conflicts between domestic and EU norms is the responsibility of national courts. Where interpretation is unclear, the EUCJ can be approached under the preliminary reference procedure, the EUCJ being the sole authoritative interpreter of EU Law. While the role of the EUCJ a-top this pan-European network gives it the unique ability, via its case law, to affect the legislative and policy choices at the national level that relate to EU law, it conversely also has overseen national courts, including those from smaller Member States, playing an unusually significant role in the constitutional developments of the European Union itself.

Keywords: Supreme court, EU, law, European, courts, national, courts