David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 3:

In page 5, line 25, to delete “Circuit” and substitute “District”.

This is a fairly simple amendment and may be less important than some of the more substantial amendments we will be dealing with. This is to advise the Minister that the Circuit Court should not have to deal with all of these cases and that the District Court, which is a more local court, might be a better forum in which to deal with them. The rationale is that the District Court has responsibility for hearing minor criminal matters, small civil claims, liquor licensing and certain family law applications. We are of the view that the District Court is sufficient for those family law hearings, and if it is, it is also sufficient for the provisions of this Bill.

Under the current provisions, an applicant would have to appeal any decision of the Circuit Court to the High Court. We would appreciate it if the Minister could revisit this, because there is a cost involved in appealing an issue to the High Court. It is a very difficult experience which would be unnecessary if people were able to make that application to a District Court.