Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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94. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding staff resources within the Courts Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32400/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions.

However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that due to a staff vacancy in the Office of the Examiner and pressure of other work, it has not been possible for the remaining staff to process applications for self-adjudication in bankruptcy matters as well as performing their other duties. The Courts Service has advised that they are currently in the process of filling this vacancy.

It should be noted that High Court bankruptcy sittings are not held during August or September. The Courts Service envisages that the filling of the staff vacancy will facilitate the listing of applications that have been lodged in the Examiner's Office for dates during the coming law term.

Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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95. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality in view of the fact that the position of county registrar in County Sligo has not been filled since the retirement of the previous holder in December 2009, her plans to replace this position in Sligo courthouse in the near future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32423/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy may wish to be aware that, in recent years the number of serving County Registrars has been reduced to 17 as a result of re-organisation and the introduction of efficiency measures by the Courts Service. Specifically, the reduction has been made possible by reorganising the work of the courts including the establishment of multi-jurisdictional combined court offices which encompassed the transfer of management functions previously exercised by County Registrars to Courts Service management personnel.

The Courts Service has advised my Department that the position of County Registrar in Sligo has not been filled since the retirement of the previous holder in December 2009. Since then the duties of the County Registrar in Sligo have been exercised by County Registrars from adjoining counties particularly the County Registrar for Donegal. The Courts Service have advised that this arrangement, which also applies in relation to cooperation between County Registrar functions for some other counties, has operated satisfactorily and has not resulted in any diminution of services in Co. Sligo. However I can tell the Deputy that I am currently reviewing issues relating to Country Registrar capacity in conjunction with the Courts Service.