Mr. Séamus Clarke:

-----mediation to take place in cases. The superior courts are always trying to get people to mediate their cases if possible. That is to be encouraged given, as we have often said, the resources of the courts at present. The President of the High Court was seeking additional judges because of the significant volume of work that is anticipated in light of the fact there was not much work over the past 18 months. Mediation is always to be encouraged and, in certain cases in the commercial court, it has to be seen as the first alternative before listing the case for trial. The Bar of Ireland strongly encourages all sorts of mediation in all sorts of cases. A protected disclosure case may not always be the sort of case that will be ripe for mediation because of the particular issues that might be involved. Nevertheless, it should absolutely be encouraged.