Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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117. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will prioritise the enactment of the Family Court Bill 2020; the progress being made in the development of the Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8671/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Family law reform is a priority for me as Minister and was a major element of my Justice Plan 2021.

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to enact a Family Court Bill which will create a new dedicated Family Court within the existing court structure and provide for court procedures that support a faster and less adversarial resolution of disputes in specialised centres.

In September 2020, Government approved the drafting of a Family Court Bill along the lines of the General Scheme, which has been published. This has been referred to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel for drafting. Work is progressing on the drafting of the Bill, with a view to its publication as soon as possible this year.

The Family Court Bill will provide for the establishment of the Family Court as divisions within the existing court structures, i.e., a Family High Court, a Circuit Family Court, and a District Family Court, with each court division dealing with family law matters appropriate to its jurisdiction. As part of the General Scheme of the Family Court Bill, specialist knowledge and ongoing professional training in the area of family law would be required to be appointed as a Family Court judge.

The Bill will be an important element of the Family Justice Strategy which is currently being developed by the Family Justice Oversight Group following consultation with the public, stakeholders and with children in particular. I aim to publish the Family Justice Strategy soon. The measures proposed in the Family Court Bill will, as part of the Strategy, allow for the development of a more efficient, user-friendly, child-focused family court system that puts families at the centre of its activities, provides access to specialist supports and encourages the use of alternative dispute resolution in family law proceedings in cases where this is appropriate.