Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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202. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he has any concerns regarding the validity of civil bills issued where the Court Services facilitated the stamping of blank documents which were subsequently used in the issuance of civil bills and where the stamping date pre-dates the incidents referred to in the civil bill; his views on the validity of such civil bills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24713/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service and I have no role in the matter. However, in order to be of assistance I have had enquiries made with the Courts Service and have been informed that Circuit Court Rules (Order 11) provide for the stamping of Civil Bills before they are issued for service. There is no time limit set out in the rules for the period between the stamping of and the issuing of the Bills. I am informed by the Courts Service that in order to ensure consistency of practice it directed that blank documents should no longer be stamped from January 2010 and the practice has ceased in all court offices. The Service has indicated that the change in practice was introduced from a governance perspective relating to the management of stamping fees and did not arise due to any question as to the validity of Civil Bills stamped in advance in the manner referred to by the Deputy.