Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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292. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount of financial resources allocated to the courts, excluding resources for legal aid and public prosecution services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43722/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, the day to day management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions and I am responsible for ensuring that the Service is adequately funded.

The Courts Service Vote for 2015 is €107.965 million which is an increase of €2.0 million on the corresponding 2014 allocation. I am also pleased that in the Estimates for 2016 the Courts Service allocation will further increase to €108.672 million which, when non-recurring payroll costs are excluded, is an effective increase of approximately €1.75 million. This increased allocation and additional staffing will support the delivery of an effective Courts system and give them further scope in relation to non-pay costs.

On the capital side, the allocation of €9.7 million for 2015 is in line with that of 2014, which had included an additional €2.0 million for capital works associated with the establishment of the new Court of Appeal. I am pleased that the existing capital allocation of €9.7 million remains in place for 2016 and future years. Furthermore, capital funding for major developments in the courts was announced as part of the Government’s Capital Infrastructure and Investment Plan for 2016-2021. This included a new Public-Private Partnership to deliver a state-of-the art Family Law and Children’s Courts building, together with additional Court rooms for the Supreme Court and other Courts offices, on the Hammond Lane site in Dublin. The capital envelope also includes €10 million for courthouse refurbishment in later years of the plan. I can assure the Deputy that I am conscious of the value of providing for an excellent court system including the provision of substantial resources to the Courts Service to enable it to maintain and improve its services.