Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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627. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the average and longest waiting time in each probate office for applications by solicitors and personal applicants, respectively; the number of applications on hand in each office; if the e-probate system is fully live in each office; the effect that the e-probate system has had on average waiting times to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8849/21]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service have advised me of the following.

Regarding the Dublin Probate Office, restrictions under level 5 of the Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021 Plan for Living with COVID-19 necessitated the temporary closure of the personal applications process in October 2020. Solicitor applications continue to be processed. The waiting times for these applications, which were at one point subject to twelve weeks delays, are now at seven weeks. Until such time as the restrictions on movement are lifted or significantly reduced, the Courts Service advises there will be no resumption of personal application interviews.

The waiting times for the District Probate Registries around the country are set out in the table below.

The e-probate project remains on the Courts Service’s list of modernisation projects. I am advised that the timetable for its implementation has yet to be determined and that it will continue to be considered in the context of other priority projects in the areas of civil, criminal and family law.