Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

88. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her views on providing for out-of-hours interim barring orders and protection orders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24391/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy is 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, which include the provision of information on the courts system.

However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that emergency applications such as protection orders and interim barring orders are prioritised. Such applications are usually granted, where the Court so decides, on the date the application is made to the Court. Applications are normally made when the relevant court office is open and the court is sitting within the relevant District.

Requests received outside of office hours are very rare. However, in every District there is a clerk on-call to take requests for special sittings from An Garda Síochána and there have been a few occasions where An Garda Síochána has contacted the clerk on-call regarding the need for a potential Domestic Violence application. In such situations the clerk of the court will contact the Judge assigned to the District and explain the gravity of the application on the basis of information supplied. It is a matter for the Judge to decide whether the circumstances as outlined would merit a special sitting of the Court.