Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 524: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 280 of 21 June 2011, if he will confirm that the 202 applications granted in 2009 and the 165 applications granted in 2010 were dealt with in Criminal Courts or were these 367 criminal offences dealt with in the Civil Courts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25263/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The allocation of the business of the courts, scheduling of court cases and the management of court lists are matters for the judiciary and in particular the Presidents of the courts and it would not be appropriate for me to make any comment in relation to this matter. The Deputy will be aware that judges are, subject to the Constitution and the law, independent in the exercise of their judicial functions.

In order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that the normal practice in the District Court is that applications granted under Section 5 (2) of the Courts (No. 2) Act, 1986 arising from alleged breaches of Sections 7 or 11 of the Guardianship of Infants Act, 1964 are dealt with in the Family Law Courts.