Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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48. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to provide an update on the operation of the Court of Appeal, specifically the number of cases it has heard, since it came into operation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21815/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Courts Service is responsible for the management and administration of the Courts. The scheduling of court cases and the allocation of court business is a matter for the Presidents of the courts and the presiding judge who are under the Constitution independent in the exercise of their judicial functions. The Court of Appeal was established by order of the Government on 28 October 2014 and sat for the first time on 5 November 2014.

Since the Court was established on 28 October 2014 to 30 June 2016, a total of 1,735 appeals were disposed of, comprising 1,065 civil appeals and 670 criminal appeals. The current waiting times (as at 30 June 2016) are as follows:

Criminal appeals – 4 to 5 months from the date of lodgement of the written submissions of the appellant. This compares with 15 months waiting time in the Court of Criminal Appeal prior to the establishment of the Court of Appeal; and

Civil appeals – 17 months from the date of lodgement of the appeal. This compares with an average of 48 months for non-priority cases to be heard in the Supreme Court prior to the establishment of the Court of Appeal.

I am satisfied that the Court of Appeal has had a significant impact on waiting times and this has greatly improved the overall efficiency of our courts system.