Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

We discussed this previously. I have been advised that the Courts Service is an independent body established under statute with five functions, namely, to manage the courts, provide support services for the judges, provide information on the courts system to the public, provide, manage and maintain court buildings and provide facilities for uses of the courts. Family law is administered in camera and conveying information of the nature suggested would be in breach of that principle.

In addition, the function suggested in the amendment could give rise to data protection issues without the party's consent. The Courts Service is an independent provider of services to both parties in a case - in this instance, a civil family law matter. An obligation of the kind suggested would involve the State in passing information to the State, namely, a third party, in respect of a case private to both parties involved. In addition, increasing maintenance is paid, not through a District Court office but via bank transfer and, therefore, the Courts Service would not have information available on what moneys were paid over.

In view of all those issues and those I mentioned previously, I will not accept this amendment.

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