Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 255: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on whether it is virtually impossible to secure the services of a person from one of the bodies referred to in the schedule of S.I. No. 337 of 2005 Civil Liabilities and Courts Act 2004 (Section 40 (3)) Regulations 2005 to be present at family law cases, for research purposes; if this was what was intended in the regulations; and if so, the reason it has not been implemented. [33126/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 (Section 40(3)) Regulations 2005 (S.I. No. 337 of 2005) specify the classes of persons entitled to apply to attend family law proceedings for the purposes of drawing up and publishing reports. Three classes of persons are specified, namely mediators, researchers and persons engaged by the Courts Service to produce such reports.

To date, I have approved several persons engaged in family law research on the nomination of bodies specified in the Regulations and, in view of recent enquiries made to my Department, I expect to receive further nominations shortly. I can also inform the Deputy that the Courts Service has recently engaged a Family Court Recorder on a one year pilot basis.