Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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105. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when she commissioned the annual study on court efficiency and sitting times benchmarked against international standards to provide accurate measurements for improving access to justice; and when it will be published. [18662/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for a Partnership Government contains a commitment to commission an annual study on court efficiency and sitting times as outlined by the Deputy and my Department has examined options to develop the most effective approach to implementing this commitment. It is intended that this study will be incorporated into a wider review of the administration of civil justice which has been proposed by the President of the High Court.

On 22 March 2017 I announced that a Group, to be chaired by the President of the High Court Mr. Justice Peter Kelly, would be set up to review and reform the administration of civil justice in the State and that my Department, having lead overall responsibility for courts policy matters and for courts legislation, will play an active part in the review. The Group will make recommendations for changes with a view to improving access to civil justice in the State, promoting early resolution of disputes, reducing the cost of litigation, creating a more responsive and proportionate system and ensuring better outcomes for court users and is to report to me within two years.

The remit of the Group is currently being finalised and it will take into account the body of work and range of initiatives already developed such as the 2010 report of the Law Reform Commission on Consolidation and Reform of the Courts as well as the legal costs provisions of the Legal Services Regulatory Act 2015 among others.