Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That relates to the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal will effectively have a civil division and a criminal division. It is anticipated that the civil side of the Court of Appeal will sit in the Four Courts and the criminal side will sit in the new modern criminal court complex. There is work being done on that. The Courts Service is involved in looking at these issues and, of course, it is very important that the Judiciary are consulted through the Chief Justice. My Department is looking at these issues. The issues range from the construction and renovations that may be necessary to create the framework of the court so that it is distinct from other courts, what software may be necessary so that we have the best possible high tech arrangements to reduce the amount of paperwork necessary and to maximise efficiencies. There is the cost of any additional staff that may be required for the Court of Appeal. There are issues also regarding whether some of the back-up staff and administrative staff may be available within the existing staff, either the Courts Service, the Department of Justice and Equality or across Departments.

We are trying to do this in a manner that does not generate unnecessary expense. Cearly, judges will be appointed to the court and they must be remunerated. In the Estimates some €2 million has been allocated for this project. The objective is that the new Court of Appeal will be sitting and working in the law term starting in October this year. I should say, Chairman, that is a very ambitious objective because we must enact legislation which is substantially developed and which I hope will be published in the next few weeks. It must be brought to Cabinet. I understand it will be to hand after it goes through one further drafting.

That legislation must be enacted and the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board obviously will be involved in the context of advertising the judicial places. It cannot do this until the legislation is enacted and then there is the physical structure. The objective is to have the Court of Appeal up and running in October next. While I am told this is an ambitious objective to achieve, I will try to ensure it is achieved and this is the reason the sum in question has been allocated.