Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Absolutely. He or she must produce proof of identity, proof of birth, a statutory declaration, a certificate from a medical practitioner, as well as an endocrinologist, parental consent and an order of the Circuit Court. A case in the Circuit Court is infinitely more expensive, as Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh said, than in the District Court. It is also a great deal slower. My experience is that backlogs have lengthened in recent times in the Circuit Court.

The Minister of State has stated the advice of the Department is that it is more appropriate to have the matter dealt with in the Circuit Court sitting as the Family Court. The District Court also decides on many important family law matters. It can put somebody out of his or her house, decide on a person’s access to his or her children, etc. It already has substantive jurisdiction in family law cases. The amendment would not be a significant change but a welcome one. It would make what is a good Bill even better. The Minister of State should re-examine it again and accept it, if not today, then on Report Stage.