James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I again thank the Deputy for her very important question.

In addition to its approach to physical facilities the Courts Service is also continuing to invest in initiatives to improve the experience of all court users. I will mention two projects in particular, the first is the "just a minute", JAM, card. The Courts Service provided JAM card training to all of its staff in 2021. As the Deputy is aware, this card allows people with a hidden disability or communication barrier to tell others that they need extra time and understanding in a private and easy way.

The Courts Service has carried out very impressive work to provide trauma-informed training to a wide range of staff and members of the Judiciary. To date, 457 Courts Service staff have completed the training, resulting in plain language information being written with a trauma-informed lens. The design of the new Dublin Family Courts at Hammond Lane is also benefiting from this approach, while front-line staff supporting people making domestic violence applications are supporting people in a different way to reduce the requirement to retell their stories.

The judicial studies committee, established in 2020 by the Judicial Council, has devised and delivered an avoiding retraumatisation programme in collaboration with SSR, the Dutch Judicial Training Institute. The focus of this training was to give judges a deeper and more realistic understanding of victims’ experiences.

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