Nicole Ryan (Sinn Fein)

At its core, this Bill increases the number of judges across the District Court, the Circuit Court, the High Court and the Court of Appeal. Having 21 additional judges is a step in the right direction. I acknowledge the Minister's work on that. We cannot keep pretending that increasing judicial numbers alone will solve the deep and systematic delays that exist in our courts today. Our justice system is slow because it is starved of staff and of resources. We know from the Law Society and from lived experience of victims and survivors that cases can take at least 1.5 times longer than the European average, which is absolutely unacceptable. These are not just statistics; these are people's lives. Survivors of sexual violence are waiting years and years to give evidence. Families are living in limbo as they wait for custody or access decisions. The futures of vulnerable children are held up because reports, hearings and orders simply cannot be scheduled. For survivors of sexual violence especially, the delay is not just an administrative inconvenience; it is a form of secondary trauma. Every adjournment, every postponement and every rescheduled hearing keeps them locked in the worst chapter of their lives. It prevents healing, prolongs fear and undermines the purpose of justice. That is not a victim-centred system. It is not timely justice. It is unsustainable. We do not just have too few judges in the system; we have too few registrars, court clerks and legal and administrative staff to run the system efficiently. Adding judges without adding staff is like adding buses without hiring any bus drivers.

The Bill also proposes minor amendments to the Child Care Act 1991, as it relates to the Child and Family Agency. While these amendments may be limited, the opportunity before us is not. We cannot keep discussing legislation connected to child protection without acknowledging that families and front-line workers are seeing every single day that Tusla is overstretched, is overwhelmed and has too many cases to be able to keep vulnerable children safe. We have seen reports from HIQA, from practitioners and from communities outlining failures that leave children at risk, whether it is a child waiting for months for an assessment, an unsafe placement, a lack of aftercare supports or cases bouncing between social care workers due to burnout or constant staff turnover. The system is not coping. A child's life cannot be put on pause and a child does not get those years back. When the system moves too slowly, it is always the child who will pay the price for it.

The Bill also touches on the Gambling Regulation Act 2024. Again, it is a small amendment but it is a big topic. As the Minister knows, across rural communities like the ones I represent in Cork North-West, local fundraisers, charity raffles, sports clubs and community organisations have raised some concerns around this Act and how it may affect their ability to fund the vital work they do. We have to strike a balance. I appreciate that regulation of gambling is needed because we have issues around gambling. It is a growing and hidden addiction that is really difficult for families and individuals. We have to protect vulnerable people without making it harder for GAA clubs, community councils, youth groups and other voluntary organisations to raise a few euro to keep them going. I urge the Minister to ensure community fundraising is protected. Small voluntary groups must not caught be in the crossfire of legislation that is aimed at commercial gambling.

We cannot keep patching up holes and calling it reform. We need a court system that is resourced in every corner from the registrar's desk and the clerk's office to the judge's bench. This Bill gives us an opening and a chance to say clearly that the status quo is not working and that incremental change is just not enough. Victims deserve better. Survivors deserve better. Children deserve better. Sinn Féin will support this Bill but we will continue to push, as all of us must, for full and urgent reform our justice system needs.