Barry Ward (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I had registered my opposition to sections 70, 71 and 72, which arise on foot of the need for the jurisdiction of the District Court to be expanded. I will not speak again, but it is convenient to come in now in relation to what the Minister said. If the Minister is not with me in terms of the issues that might arise from the enormous expansion of the District Court jurisdiction, then these sections are necessary. However, I would just sound a note of caution regarding the ability of the District Court, in the context of its time and existing case burden, to deal with this expansion and the massive number of cases that will come within its remit.