Vol. 473 No. 6
58 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Minister for Justice the progress, if any, made to date on the promised establishment of an executive courts service; the timescale for the establishment of this service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2187/97]
The preparation of the legislation which is required to enable the new courts service to be established is being dealt with as a matter of priority within my Department and this measure will be published as soon as possible.
Deputies will be aware that the third report of the working group on a courts commission, which is chaired by Mrs. Justice Susan Denham, sets out a sketch of the heads of a Bill to establish the courts service. The Government has brought these heads of a Bill before the Legislation and Security Committee of this House for discussion in order to facilitate the passage of the legislation to which I have already referred. In the meantime the working group is proceeding with further work needed to identify and prepare for the recruitment of a chief executive for the courts service.
I should also mention that additional steps are being taken towards the establishment of the courts service. In particular, the staff and industrial relations issues arising in that context are being dealt with through the normal industrial relations machinery, i.e. at the Departmental Council which operates under the Civil Service Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme. The official side has been in touch with the staff side representatives about the appropriate arrangements for taking these matters forward and formal discussions on the various issues involved are expected to commence in mid-February.
