Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 25 November 2015

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality

Management and Administration of the Courts: Courts Service of Ireland

9:30 am

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the delegates for coming. It was a most interesting, professional, comprehensive overview and interaction. They can see the level of interest in what they do. Their good work is done, perhaps, below the radar. I support Deputy Alan Farrell’s call that we write to the Minister to seek more resources for the Courts Service of Ireland as soon as possible. It would represent a saving.

Many agencies with which we interact have a dedicated Oireachtas information line or an e-mail address in order that Members with a query such as Deputy Gabrielle McFadden’s can e-mail somebody directly and receive a comprehensive response. The Courts Service of Ireland might consider establishing such an information line, if it would not bee too expensive, and communicating the address to Oireachtas Members. Establishing an e-mail contact should not be too expensive and would be helpful to everybody.

Earlier it was noted that many people appeared in court only once in their lives, if at all. However, the rule of law and the administration of justice are vitally important to our democracy, civilisation and way of living. We have discussed this issue with the Bar Council of Ireland, the Law Society of Ireland and others. It is crucial that information be disseminated among the population on how the courts work and what the procedures and people's rights are. We could have a module taught to transition year students in order that people would understand how the system worked.

I again thank the delegates for coming and wish them well. They will probably not come before this particular group of members again. However, I suggest future justice committees have a similar engagement more often, given that it is very valuable and impressive. I ask the delegates to pass on our thanks to their staff who have obviously gone above and beyond the call of duty in recent years. I hope things will ease from now on.

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