Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to ask the Taoiseach about the family courts Bill. The Department of Justice and Equality states that the purpose of the family courts Bill is to establish a dedicated family court in order to improve levels of judicial expertise and training in family law matters and streamline family law proceedings, thereby making them more user-friendly and less costly. As the Taoiseach knows, family court law operates in every small town and city in Ireland. The courts deal with personal and sensitive matters, including divorces, custodies, children in State care, child maintenance and domestic violence. Proceedings in these courts are very stressful. In a typical family court session, fathers and mothers fight over the possibility of having their children removed from their custody. While it was originally anticipated that a referendum to amend Article 34 of the Constitution would be required to remove any constitutional obstacle to the establishment of a separate family code, recent examination of these issues indicates that it would be possible to proceed with the establishment of a court in a manner which does not require such a referendum by establishing the court as a separate division within the existing court structure. What is keeping the family courts Bill from coming to the House?

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