Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 105: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the average waiting times for hearing family law cases, by district court location; in locations at which the wait is very long, the action he intends to take to reduce the delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25329/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The management and administration of the courts including responsibility for maintaining and publishing court statistics is a matter for the Courts Service. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has provided the following table which shows the most recently available data, from May 2011, in relation to waiting times for Family Law cases in District Courts within the administrative area of the District Court offices detailed in the Table. Figures relate to weeks.

I am informed that urgent interim applications are dealt with on the next sitting day in every District. The waiting time given is the time from receipt of application to listing for hearing. The Courts Service keeps waiting times under constant review in consultation with the President of the District Court and the local District Court Judge and special sittings can be scheduled to deal with backlogs.

I might also mention that in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government I intend, when resources permit, to arrange for the publication of a Bill to amend the Constitution to provide for the establishment of a distinct and separate system of family courts to streamline family law courts and to make them more efficient and less costly.