Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Jul 1996

Vol. 467 No. 7

Written Answers. - Data on Courts.

Joe Costello

Question:

253 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice the sitting days and working hours of each of the courts in Ireland in 1995; the number of cases dealt with in each of the courts in 1995; the number of cases waiting to be dealt with at the end of 1995; the number of divorce applications that have been made to the Circuit Court and the High Court pending the outcome of the divorce referendum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13966/96]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

The locations, days and commencement hours for sittings of the District Court apart from the Dublin metropolitan district are set out in the District Court (Areas) Order, 1961, S.I. No. 5 of 1961 as amended.

Details of the vacations of the District Court and the sitting times of that court, apart from the Dublin metropolitan district, during the month of August in each year are set out in the District Court Areas (Amendment) Order, 1970, S.I. 161 of 1970 as amended. That Order sets out the annual vacations of the District Court as follows: a period of six consecutive days commencing on the Thursday before Easter Day; a period of nine consecutive days commencing on 23 December and the month of August for the District Court exercising its civil jurisdiction.

Section 42 of the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act, 1961 provides that the president of the District Court may determine the days and hours at which business shall be transacted at appointed places in the Dublin metropolitan district. This is done by way of Determination Orders which are published in Iris Oifigiúil. The courts in the Dublin metropolitan district sit five days every week and in addition a court is held on Saturday mornings to deal with urgent business. During the vacation periods at Easter and Christmas one or two criminal courts sit every day. During the August Vacation two criminal courts sit every day and the children's and family courts sit a number of days each week.

In addition to scheduled sittings of the District Court special sittings of the court can be held for dealing with urgent business.

The sittings of the Circuit Court are governed by Order 1 of the Rules of the Circuit Court, 1950 (S.I. 179 of 1950) subject to the control of the President of the Circuit Court under section 10 of the Courts of Justice Act 1947. The sittings of the High and Supreme Courts are provided for in Order 118 Rule 1 of the Superior Courts, 1986 (S.I. No. 15 of 1986).

In 1995 the dates of the sittings in the Circuit, High and Supreme Courts were as follows:

Sittings	Dates
Hillary	11/1/95 to 7/4/95
Easter	24/4/95 to 1/6/95
Trinity	14/6/95 to 31/7/95
Michaelmas	2/10/95 to 21/12/95

Further sittings of the Circuit, High and Supreme Courts may be held for dealing with urgent business.

The hours worked on sitting days in the Circuit Court are in general from 10.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. but may vary at the discretion of the judge. The hours worked on sitting days in the High and Supreme Courts are in general from 11.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. but may vary at the discretion of the judge.

It must be pointed out that the amount of time judges spend in taking court sittings is exclusive of time spent in the preparation and drafting of judgments. Court statistics are maintained on the basis of the legal year which runs from 1 August each year to the following 31 July.

The number of cases dealt with in each of the courts is not readily available. This information is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible. Statistics are not indicate the number of cases awaiting hearing at the end of 1995.

Until legislation permitting divorce has been enacted, applications for divorce cannot be made to courts.