The Government has chosen its panel of three lawyers as candidates as judges for the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
The names will now go forward to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which will select one of them to serve for the next six years.
One of those on the shortlist is the serving judge from Ireland on the court, Judge John Hedigan.
The others are Mr Roger Sweetman SC and Prof Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, professor of law in the University of Ulster and a member of the Human Rights Commission.
This is the first time an academic lawyer has been put on the shortlist by the Government, although other governments frequently nominate academic lawyers.
Normally the Government nominates members of the Bar.
It is also the first time it has nominated a woman.
Ireland has recently been criticised for the absence of female representation on its delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly.
Only 12 out of the 44 panel of judges on the Strasbourg court are women.
The Parliamentary Assembly will vote on the selection of a number of new judges for the court in April.