Hildegarde Naughton (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This week the High Court is on circuit in Galway to hear personal injuries actions. I know of one individual who is going to court for the third time in 12 months with a view to getting his case heard. He has had at least four years preparation going to court and at least another year to have his case heard. The cost in terms of taking time off work and engaging solicitors and so on is significant. While I understand the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, has committed to reviewing the personal injuries board to ensure greater efficiency, will the Leader ask the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, to come to the House to debate the issue of the personal injuries list? Too many cases are listed at every sitting.The fact is that a large number of them are actually settled on the steps of the courthouse. That creates a huge backlog of people waiting for their cases to be heard and there are costs involved in that. There is no incentive to have these cases settled in advance. The people of Galway and elsewhere are greatly disadvantaged by these waiting lists. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister here to review the personal injuries list to ensure it is better managed and that we have a more efficient process going through our courts.