Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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265. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason there are significant delays being experienced in the family district courts at the moment; and the next available court dates in the various courts. [30790/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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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. Therefore, there are no delays in dealing with these applications.

The Courts Service has also informed me that delays in the hearing of cases can occur for a number of reasons, many of which are outside the control of the Courts and the Courts Service, for example, the unavailability of a witness or vital evidence, delays in the furnishing of reports or because the parties and/or legal practitioners are not ready to proceed on allocated dates. This gives rise to adjournments which can have a major impact on the time taken to complete the hearing of a case and on the number of cases which can be disposed of in a court sitting.

In 2015 the Government introduced a range of new legislation in the family law area. These developments required the Courts Service to provide additional courts facilities, particularly in Dublin, for the hearing of family law and child care applications. In 2016 the Courts Service, following consultation with the President of the District Court, reconstituted the way District Court work was arranged to facilitate the provision of additional courtrooms for the transaction of family law business. Overall the number of courtrooms dedicated to District Court family law in Dublin has increased from 5 to 7 since October 2016. As a result waiting times in Dublin District Court family law have improved to the extent that hearings are now available within 5 weeks for private family law proceedings.

The Courts Service has advised that the waiting times for family law in the District Court are collated on a Court office basis rather than on an individual court basis and that the current waiting times are as follows:

District Court Family Law - Waiting Times in weeks - June 2017

(2) Time in weeks from receipt of application to listing for hearing for other family law applications.