Vol. 502 No. 4
155 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when the new machines for the payment of court fees will be available; and the conditions which will apply to solicitors who wish to be licensed to use them. [8511/99]
My Department is currently preparing to tender for new court fee franking machines and hopes to be in a position to publish tender notifications in the EU journal within the next month. Allowing for the mandatory time limits involved in an EU tender and for tender assessments and selection it is anticipated that the new machines will be installed by the end of this year.
In conjunction with procuring new court fee machines, officials in my Department are reviewing the existing procedures for licensing solicitors to operate a court fee machine and the conditions attached to such a licence. I am therefore not in a position to advise the Deputy on the exact terms and conditions on which licences to operate a court fee machine will issue.
