John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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817. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if a review of the administration of justice which has been proposed by the President of the High Court has commenced; the details of this review including its terms of reference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28034/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware, on 22 March 2017 the Tánaiste and then Minister for Justice and Equality 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.

The aim of the review is to examine the current administration of civil justice in the State with a view to:

(a) Improving access to justice;

(b) Reducing the cost of litigation including costs to the State;

(c) Improving procedures and practices so as to ensure timely hearings;

(d) The removal of obsolete, unnecessary or over-complex rules of procedure;

(e) Reviewing the law of discovery;

(f) Encouraging alternative methods of dispute resolution;

(g) Reviewing the use of electronic methods of communications including e-litigation;

(h) Examining the extent to which pleadings and submissions and other court documents should be available or accessible on the internet;

(i) Identifying steps to achieve more effective outcomes for court users with particular emphasis on vulnerable court users including children and young persons, impecunious litigants who ineligible for civil legal aid and wards of court.

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.

My Department, having lead overall responsibility for courts policy matters and for courts legislation, is currently in discussions with the President of the High Court regarding the composition and logistics of the Group. An initial preliminary meeting of the Group, which is intended to include representatives from my Department, the Courts Service, the Bar Council and the Law Society, is expected to be held in July 2017.