Written answers

Thursday, 6 July 2006

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Family Law Cases

6:00 pm

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 614: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if a report on trends in decisions in family law cases has been presented to him; and if he will provide details of the findings. [28114/06]

Photo of Michael McDowellMichael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I assume the Deputy is referring to any outcomes under provisions in the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 which allow for the reporting of family law court proceedings and for persons approved for such purposes to attend and be present at family law court sittings.

I am informed that the Court Service, in the context of its proposal to commence family law reporting arrangements on a pilot basis in a selected number of High, Circuit and District Courts, has recently invited proposals from suitable persons for the provision of family law reports, judgments, trends and other statistical information in those courts. I look forward to reports etc being made available in due course.

As the Deputy may be aware, I relaxed the in camera rule on 1 July 2005 by making the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 (Section 40(3)) Regulations 2005 (S. I. No. 337 of 2005) which allow certain classes of persons to attend family court sittings, subject to Ministerial approval, in order to draw up and publish reports. Approval is subject to certain safeguards including a requirement that the parties to a case or any relevant child would not be identifiable. Under the scheme, I have already approved several persons engaged in family law research who were nominated by a body specified in the Schedule to S.I. No. 337 of 2005 and while I have not yet received any reports on this basis I expect to do so in due course.

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