Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

A total estimate in gross terms of almost €164 million is being provided for the Courts Service in Vote 22. This is in addition to €3.648 million of unspent capital being carried over from 2021. The allocation of a further €1 million for the new courts modernisation programme builds on €8 million already provided in the Estimates in 2021 and retained in 2022. The ongoing courts modernisation programme is focused on designing court services around the user, leveraging digital technology to streamline services and processes and, ultimately, delivering a courts system which is more accessible to all.

I am committed to driving the modernisation and digital first agenda across the entire justice sector. I particularly welcome the commitment set out by the Courts Service to maximise the use of digital technologies to provide an improved and user-centred service. Throughout the pandemic, the Judiciary and the Courts Service have worked closely together and innovated through the use of technology to maintain the highest level of court activity possible, with a particular focus on families, victims of domestic abuse and people who are most vulnerable at this time. I expect that the progress made on new ways of working will be maintained in future.