James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Our priority is to ensure that the courts are resourced to administer justice efficiently and effectively for citizens in their access to justice.  The Government endeavours to fill judicial vacancies at the earliest opportunity and a number of such vacancies have been filled in recent times. In order to bring more strategic focus to this, the Minister established a judicial planning working group in April 2021, in line with commitments in the programme for Government and the justice plan action to, "Establish a working group to consider the number of and type of judges required to ensure the efficient administration of justice over the next five years". Any further judicial resourcing needs will ultimately be informed by the report and recommendations of this group.

To help inform the work of this group, the OECD was commissioned to prepare an independent review of judicial resources, including benchmarks against international comparators. Due to the complexity of evaluating the data and analysis underpinning the research, it has taken longer than originally anticipated for the OECD to complete its work. Its final report is expected shortly and the Minister has just received an interim progress report from the chair of the working group. The latest indications are that the group expects to produce its final report this autumn having considered the OECD research.

As the Deputy will be aware, in the interim, the Government has already provided additional resources to the High Court, where the number of judges was increased by five last year, from 37 to 42, with the enactment of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021. In addition, section 8 of the Act provided for the number of High Court judges to be exceeded by a further one, should the Government, at the request of the Minister, having consulted with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, form the opinion that it was necessary due to the volume of business and to ensure the efficient administration of justice. The Minister brought a memorandum to Government on 19 January 2022, with a recommendation to have that additional High Court post filled. With that appointment to the High Court, the complement of High Court judges is now six more than it was on 1 October 2021.

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