Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Touché- the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General is probably looking for an increase. I have not heard any demand from the Courts Service for an increase in its budget from the Exchequer at this point in time but it has used the fee income very successfully.
I wish to mention two points. I wrote to Mr. Ryan last month about issues concerning decisions that had been made in the Circuit Court and the High Court and possession orders that had been issued. Mr. Ryan wrote me a very fine and extensive letter. However, there seems to be considerable discrepancies in the manner in which the Circuit Court and the High Court conduct their business. For example, I was looking for possessions broken down in terms of residential possessions and non-residential orders that had been issued. The Circuit Court was able to supply those details but the High Court did not have any breakdown of that nature. Likewise, I was looking for location. The Circuit Court had the breakdown in respect of location but the High Court had none. It just had a bald figure.
While I understand that nobody wants to interfere too much with the Judiciary and the manner in which it conducts its business, it would seem that we could do with a more detailed level of information and at least a standardised level of information related to the same matters from the different courts. I cannot understand why we cannot get information with regard to residential and non-residential and for both courts to be able to provide a breakdown with regard to the various areas. Now that the Department of Justice and Equality is no longer the go-between with regard to Oireachtas Members because the Courts Service provides that information, the relationship between the Courts Service and the Oireachtas Members - because this is information that is coming from our clientele - is very interesting and it is very important that we are aware of it.
In the context of the new Courts Service strategy plan for 2014, I think the witnesses suggested that this was before the Department of Justice and Equality so it is a draft plan. Is there any chance of us getting a look at that draft plan to see whether or not we could have an input before it is finalised in the context of our relationship with the Courts Service as serving Members of the Oireachtas and the work we are doing as it would be mutually beneficial?