Ms Maura McNally:

On behalf of the Bar of Ireland, I know through the Family Lawyers Association of Ireland, which is chaired by one of our members, and through various submissions made on behalf of family lawyers, which includes both barristers and solicitors, that the family courts have been hearing cases but only cases specific to urgent matters. Obviously, there is a choice to be made in regard to which can be heard first but the focus is on those that are of greatest concern. Constitutionally, children are protected so any childcare issues such as their health and well-being, which would include financial support, are all being dealt with as urgent cases. Unfortunately, a backlog is building up in that area in respect of other matters, as is happening in all other civil walks of law and, as I said, in criminal matters. When it comes to children or people with disabilities and-or a specific urgency such as domestic abuse, violence or anything of that nature, the courts and practitioners are dealing with them. They made submissions at the commencement of the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure that would happen.