Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 29: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has commissioned research on the issue of fathers' rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32807/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I have not commissioned research on the specific issue of fathers' rights. The relaxation of the in camera rule in family law proceedings has facilitated the flow of information on the operation of the law in the family law courts. The Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004, allows for preparation of reports in family law proceedings while continuing to respect the confidential nature of family law cases. The Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 (Section 40(3)) Regulations 2005 (S. I. No. 337 of 2005) allow certain classes of persons — namely family mediators, researchers nominated by specified academic institutions and persons engaged by the Courts Service — to attend family court sittings, subject to Ministerial approval, in order to draw up and publish reports on general trends and information relating to family law cases.

In addition, in October 2006 the Courts Service launched their Family Law Reporting Project and engaged a family law reporter on a pilot basis, to record and produce reports on family law proceedings. Five reports have been published under the project to date. The reports provide invaluable family law reports, judgments, trends and other statistical information. The Courts Service Family Law Reporting Project, alongside other academic research currently in progress, is the start of a flow of information, and the accumulation of a body of data, on family law cases, including on the operation of the law with respect to fathers rights, which will assist future policy formulation in the family law area.