tribunal - Tribunals in Republic of Ireland

An official body exercising functions of a quasi-judicial nature. In the UK, tribunals frequently deal with matters where the citizen is in conflict with a government department. They tend to be specialized, governing such issues as employment rights, social security, mental health, and taxation. The proceedings of a tribunal may be subject to judicial review. Tribunals exist outside the ordinary courts of law, but their decisions are subject to judicial control under the doctrine of ultra vires and error of law.

A tribunal is a generic term for any body acting judicially, whether or not it is called a tribunal in its title.

In the Roman Catholic Church, a tribunal usually refers to one of three instances of ecclesiastical courts: a diocesan tribunal; a provincial tribunal, that is, of more than one diocese and commonly referred to as an appellate court; For example the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda is a body specially constituted under international law; in Great Britain, Employment Tribunals are bodies set up to hear specific employment disputes. For example, in Great Britain, the Employment Appeal Tribunal is a superior court of record.

Tribunals in Republic of Ireland

In the Republic of Ireland, the word tribunal is popularly used to refer to a public inquiry established under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921. The main difference between a Parliamentary Inquiry (non statutory) and a Tribunal of Inquiry in Ireland is that non-statutory inquiries are not vested with the powers, privileges and rights of the High Court; Tribunals are established by resolution of the Houses of the Oireachtas to enquire into matters of urgent public importance. Tribunals can consist of one or more people, a lay person, or non lawyer may be the Sole member of a Tribunal.