Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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1571. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to concerns related to facilities at Dolphin House, Dublin District Family Court, including lack of space, lack of separation between victims and alleged perpetrators, and lack of private spaces; if he is concerned regarding the impact this may have on families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19443/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is fully committed to reforming the family justice system in Ireland and as part of the Family Justice Strategy 2022-2025, which was published in November 2022. This ambitious Strategy outlines the steps needed to create a more efficient and user-friendly family justice system that puts the family and children at the centre of its work.

As the strategy was developed, the Department of Justice listened to and acknowledged the many issues and concerns about how the current system operates. The actions stress the centrality of children to many family justice matters, and the need to ensure their best interests are considered in conjunction with their constitutional rights.

A key component of the Strategy is the Family Courts Act which provides for the establishment of family court divisions within the existing court structures. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to developing an implementation plan for the Family Courts Act within the first 12 months of this Government. Once the Act is fully commenced, there will be a Family High Court, a Family Circuit Court and a Family District Court, each dealing with family law matters as appropriate to its jurisdiction.

Key to implementation of the Family Courts Act 2024 will be the construction of a purpose-built Family Law Court complex at Hammond Lane, which is the priority Courts Service project in the National Development Plan.

The new Dublin Family Courts Complex will be a modern purpose-built facility where family law cases can be held in a dignified, secure and non-threatening environment with a range of support services to hand. It has been designed and will be built with the specific needs of Family Law court users in mind.

The six storey over basement building will provide 19 family law courtrooms, staff and judicial accommodation, consultation space, facilities for the Legal Aid Board, legal practitioners and a range of services that operate in the area of family law including mediation services and providers of domestic violence support services. The building will have a variety of public waiting areas including child and family friendly waiting areas and will be fully accessible.

Current timescales envisage that construction will commence during 2026 and complete in 2028. Planning permission for the development was granted on the 2nd of April 2024 by the Commissioners for Public Works under Part 9 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001. The Dublin Family Courts project will be delivered by way of Public Private Partnership (PPP). The project is being procured by the NDFA in conjunction with the OPW using the Competitive Dialogue procurement procedure pursuant to EU and national procurement law.

It is intended that on completion, the new Hammond Lane facility will replace the existing family law facilities in central Dublin at Dolphin House, Phoenix House, Chancery Street courthouse and in the Four Courts.