Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister said, we are mostly dealing with technical amendments here and we will support this Bill. Legal reform and the construction of a dedicated family law court for Dublin are important but any credible family law plan must go further with supports and maybe the Minister should take a White Paper approach to the whole Bill. Not every issue before the courts can be addressed at the point where relationships are breaking down, but significant resources can be allocated to reduce the harm that can be caused to children. There are a number of difficulties with lengthy waits for court dates in some parts of the country, where it can take up to a year for contested cases to be heard. This is a lifetime for parents and for children given how quickly children are developing. The cases are often adjourned with no resolution and there is deep frustration then on behalf of some of the participants. Holding proceedings in a different building or room from the other courts sittings, and the criminal law list in particular, is also very important.

In developing the new court system or the new court buildings that are going to be constructed it is important for the Courts Service to take into account the needs of the local community and of town centres in particular. For ten years now there has been an alternative proposition to construct a courthouse for Tralee in another part of the town. Not enough consideration has been given to the overall effect on the town centre. While I appreciate a court that has not been refurbished in over 40 years needs some incremental works to bring it in line with the needs of a modern court building there has been a logjam and because of all the investment set aside for prisons in the 2024 budget and the Hammond Lane complex the other courthouses that need refurbishment have been left behind. There is an opportunity in Tralee because An Post is moving from the town centre to an industrial estate and there is space available. I do not see any TDs from Kilkenny, but a great job was done there seven or eight years ago on reopening the courthouse. Part of it was refurbished and there was a new section. There is not going to be a new courthouse in Tralee until at least 2027. In the meantime, if you are in a wheelchair and need to access the court building it cannot be done. There are no plans to ameliorate that situation over the next four years, which is the earliest point a new courthouse on the other side of town can be constructed. I am asking the Courts Service and whoever is going to be in government after the next election to take into account that it is possible to keep services in the centre of town - because there is no plan B if the existing court building moves – in Edward Street or Ashe Street and not move them outside of town. Another café closed in Tralee town centre this week and there is a problem with footfall. I am aware it is not just that as there are difficulties with rates, rents and all the usual struggles small businesses cope with but any town centre worth its salt needs to keep services in town centre locations and I urge the Courts Service and governments to bear that in mind and take a decision that takes into account the common good of the whole town centre. There is no point in talking about a town centre first plan unless we deliver it by dealing with the services in an appropriate way.

As I said, we will not be opposing the passage of the Bill, but there is an awful lot of work to be done in addressing the lengthy delays I mentioned as people wait for court dates, the lack of family law solicitors in some parts of the country, especially under the legal aid scheme, and the ongoing impoverishment of some participants, especially single parents who are not receiving maintenance with the consequential delays.

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