Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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98. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if consideration will be given to the need for a specialist family court to be established nationally where specialist judges are assigned to family law on a permanent or long-term basis and deal exclusively with family law on specially fixed family law days; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25044/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I can inform the Deputy that my Department is currently preparing draft legislation to develop and reform the family court system and I will be making proposals to Government in this regard very shortly. The purpose of these reforms is to address certain problems identified in the family court process, including delays in hearings and court facilities which are regarded as less than adequate in some cases. Key reforms will include a new dedicated family court as a separate and distinct division within existing court structures (i.e. a District Family Court, Circuit Family Court and Family High Court). This will facilitate the development of specialist judicial expertise and case law within the family law area and the allocation of dedicated resources to improved designated facilities.