asked the Minister for Justice if he will establish regional high courts as recommended by the free legal aid centres.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Regional High Courts.
4.
I have received no recommendation in this matter from the free legal aid centres although I have seen press reports which suggest that such a recommendation has been made to me.
If and when it is received I will have the proposals examined.
Can the Minister say how long such an examination might be expected to take? I am very surprised to hear the Minister say that the free legal aid centres actually have not sent their proposals directly to him or to his Department.
I cannot tell the Deputy how long the examination will take because I have not yet received any documentation from the free legal aid centres but, when I do, it will be examined straight away.
Would the Minister say that, in principle, there was a good case to be made for the establishment of regional high courts?
When the case alleged to have been made by the Deputy in his question comes to my notice I will have it examined.
Is the Minister seriously saying that, after two years in office, he has never given any thought to or examined the possibility of establishing regional high courts?
If the Deputy would like to table a separate question on that for the next session I will answer it for him.
This is the type of response Ministers have been getting away with.
That is a separate question, Deputy O'Keeffe.
If the Deputy will put a separate question on the Order Paper it will be dealt with.
Deputy Horgan asked about a report. Deputy O'Keeffe is asking if the Minister has considered the establishment of certain courts. It is a separate question.
Might I suggest to you, a Cheann Comhairle——
If the Deputy would put a separate question on the Order Paper it will be dealt with.
The position here is that the question tabled is in regard to the establishment of regional high courts. This matter was raised in the Dáil 12 months ago. The Minister's response was that if and when the free legal aid people make a submission to him he will consider it. I want to establish a point clearly from the Minister: is it a fact that he has not, after two years in office, considered at all the possibility of establishing regional high courts?
That is entirely a separate question and the allegation in the Deputy's supplementary is not true.
I am not making any allegation.
The Deputy is making an allegation.
I was talking about honesty in Government. All I want is an answer, yes or no. Has the matter been considered by the Minister or is he going to evade the question?
The Deputy should put down a question if he wishes to do so and should not depend on some other Deputy doing his homework for him.
I am calling Question No. 5.
The Minister has answered it for me already.