Vol. 434 No. 6
62 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Justice the statutory role, if any, she intends giving to the Probation and Welfare Service in dealing with family law cases; and the reason there has been a reduction in the number of welfare officers currently available to the District Court for the carrying out of assessments in family law cases.
Matters relating to family law are the responsibility of the Minister for Equality and Law Reform. I am not aware of any proposals by that Minister which would purport to give the Probation and Welfare Service a statutory role in relation to family law cases. If any such proposals were to arise, my Department would, of course, give them full consideration.
I am aware that, at present, the Probation and Welfare Service, having regard to the demands placed on it arising from its statutory role in the criminal law area and to the overall resources available to it, cannot always meet the increasing demands placed on it in the context of family law cases. I will keep the position under review.
