As the Deputy will be aware, the Courts Service Act 1998 provides that management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions, including the provision of facilities for court users. The scheduling and hearing of court cases is a matter for the Presidents of the Courts and the presiding Judges.
The Presidents of the Courts, in consultation with the Courts Service, keep the distribution of business under regular review and where specific issues are identified appropriate action is taken bearing in mind any constraints imposed by the availability of judicial, administrative or structural resources. A key piece of data in this regard is the waiting times for hearings.
The Government is committed to significant reform of the courts, including the establishment of a family law court structure that is streamlined, more efficient, and less costly. My Department is working on the General Scheme of a Family Court Bill which will aim to streamline family law court processes, clarify jurisdictional issues and provide for a set of guiding principles to help ensure that the Family Court will operate in a user-friendly and efficient manner. The intention is to establish a dedicated Family Court within the existing court structures. The Family Court Bill will support the provisions of the Mediation Act 2017 by encouraging greater use of alternative dispute resolution to assist in more timely resolution of family law cases.
The waiting time for a Family Law hearing in the High Court is currently 2 months. The waiting times in the Circuit and District Family Courts are set out in the following tables.
District Court Waiting Times November 2019 (All waiting times shown in weeks)
Office
|
Family law domestic Violence Applications (1)
|
Family law Maintenance/Guardianship Applications (2)
|
|
|
|
Athlone
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Ballina
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Bray
|
Next sitting
|
3-6
|
Carlow
|
12
|
12
|
Carrick on Shannon
|
Next sitting
|
4-8 (Next sitting)
|
Castlebar
|
Next sitting
|
8 (6)
|
Cavan
|
Next sitting
|
16
|
Clonakilty
|
2-4
|
4-6 (2-4)
|
Clonmel
|
4-6
|
4-8
|
Cork
|
14
|
14
|
Donegal
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Dublin
|
13 (14)
|
13 (14)
|
Dundalk
|
4-8 (Next sitting)
|
4-6
|
Ennis
|
Next sitting
|
6-8
|
Galway
|
4
|
4-8
|
Kilkenny
|
2-4
|
4-8
|
Letterkenny
|
Next sitting
|
13
|
Limerick
|
8
|
12
|
Longford
|
Next sitting
|
4
|
Loughrea
|
Next sitting
|
8
|
Mallow
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Monaghan
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Mullingar
|
Next sitting
|
8
|
Naas
|
Next sitting
|
12-24
|
Nenagh
|
2-4
|
8 (16)
|
Portlaoise
|
Next sitting
|
12-16
|
Roscommon
|
Next sitting
|
12
|
Sligo
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Tralee
|
4
|
4
|
Trim
|
3-6 (10-12)
|
3-6 (12)
|
Tullamore
|
Next sitting
|
12
|
Waterford
|
6
|
6
|
Wexford
|
Next sitting
|
10-12
|
Youghal
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
* Urgent interim applications are dealt with immediately i.e. on next sitting day in every District (1) Time from receipt of application to listing for hearing in domestic violence matters
(2) As (1) but for other family law applications
Circuit Court
Waiting times in November 2019 (All waiting times shown in months)
Office
|
Family Law
|
Family Law
|
Family Law
|
|
Contested
|
Non-contested
|
Appeals
|
|
(1)
|
(2)
|
(3)
|
|
|
|
|
Carlow
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Carrick on Shannon
|
6
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Castlebar
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Cavan
|
9
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Clonmel
|
3-6 (Next sitting)
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Cork
|
6-9
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Dublin
|
0.5 - 4 (0.5 -3) **
|
1 (1-2)
|
1
|
Dundalk
|
6-12
|
Next sitting
|
6-12
|
Ennis
|
6
|
Next sitting
|
6
|
Galway
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Kilkenny
|
6-9
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Letterkenny
|
6-9
|
Next sitting
|
6-9
|
Limerick
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
3-6
|
Longford
|
6-9
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Monaghan
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Mullingar
|
3-6
|
Next sitting
|
3-6
|
Naas
|
6
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Portlaoise
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Roscommon
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Sligo
|
9-12 (6-12)
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Tralee
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Trim
|
6-9
|
Next sitting
|
6-9
|
Tullamore
|
6
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Waterford
|
3-6
|
Next sitting
|
Next sitting
|
Wexford
|
6-10
|
Next sitting
|
3-6
|
Wicklow
|
6-9
|
3-6
|
3-6
|
** 3 months for a guaranteed priority hearing, 2 weeks as a backup to a priority hearing (if priority case settles or does not proceed)
(2) Time from receipt of notice of trial/notice of motion to listening for hearing in contested matter
(3) As (2) but for uncontested matters.