Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 19 Jun 1996

Vol. 467 No. 2

Written Answers. - Courts Service.

Seamus Brennan

Question:

10 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for Justice the plans, if any, she has to establish a courts service board and implement the recommendations of the First Interim Report of the Working Group on a Courts Commission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12880/96]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

The primary recommendation of the First Report of the Working Group on a Courts Commission — Management and Financing of the Courts — is that an independent and permanent body should be established to manage a unified courts system. This body would be known as "the Courts Service" and would be set up by Statute as an agency of the State. The report recommends that the new service would be managed on a day to day basis by a chief executive officer and that it should have a board chaired by the Chief Justice and consisting of members of the Judiciary and representatives of those using or otherwise involved in the courts.

The Minister obtained Government approval for acceptance in principle of these recommendations. The Government in its decision stated that the chief executive of the Courts Service would also be a member of the board.

The working group has been requested by the Government to report further on the implementation of the Courts Service proposal taking account of the decision already taken by the Government.

The first report of the working group makes a number of additional recommendations which have been noted by the Government and are under consideration by my Department at present.