Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is usual for the Minister for Justice and Equality to have regular contact with the Judiciary regarding Courts Service matters. Since my appointment I have met regularly with the Chief Justice in her capacity as chair of the Courts Service Board on a range of issues and, from time to time, with other members of the Judiciary. Prior to the enactment of the Personal Insolvency Act 2012, the Attorney General and I also met with the Chief Justice and the President of the Circuit Court to discuss the role of the new specialist judges of the Circuit Court. Members of the Judiciary meet with members of the Government from time to time in the course of normal business and ongoing links are maintained between the Attorney General and the Chief Justice.

As the Chief Justice recently highlighted, the Government has facilitated a new arrangement in the form of a committee chaired by the Chief Justice and comprising the presidents of the courts and other senior judges. In the past, meetings between the Attorney General and the Chief Justice were on a more ad hoc basis. The Attorney General, who has traditionally acted as the formal link with the Judiciary, also attends the committee, accompanied by the Secretary General to the Government. A meeting of this committee took place during April and a further meeting will be held this month.

I have also met the Chief Justice and other members of the Judiciary on numerous occasions over the past two years at seminars, launches and other functions. In addition, there are several working groups on matters of mutual interest under the aegis of my Department to which judges have been nominated by the Chief Justice to participate, where appropriate, together with officials of my Department and the relevant agencies. For example, the working group on efficiency measures in the criminal justice system - Circuit and District Courts, reported to me and the Chief Justice last December on the implementation of significant and welcome reforms, and its work is ongoing in 2013.

As the Deputy will be aware, the programme for Government contains a commitment to legislate to establish a judicial council, which has been promised for over a decade. I can confirm to the Deputy that the Attorney General has indicated that it will be possible to publish the Bill this autumn. The council will provide a statutory basis of formal communication with the Judiciary, as well as promoting excellence and high standards of conduct by judges. The Deputy should also note that I welcomed the establishment by the Judiciary in November 2011 of an interim judicial council, pending the publication and enactment of the proposed Bill.

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