I propose to take Questions Nos. 747, 748, 751, 752 and 791 to 793, inclusive, together.
The Report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee of the Reform of Family Law System which was published towards the end of last year made almost 40 recommendations across the area of family justice.
All of the recommendations are currently being examined by my Department. As the Deputy will appreciate, the recommendations are extensive and merit a considered and careful response.
One of the key recommendations of the Committee is the establishment of a dedicated and integrated family court within existing court structures. In that context, I would draw the Deputy’s attention to the fact that enactment of legislation on the establishment of a family court is a commitment in the Programme for Government and my Department is currently preparing the general scheme of a family court bill which I will be bringing to Government for approval to draft shortly. The proposals in this scheme are a result of a broad consideration as to the best means of providing access to various family law mechanisms available to those families involved in private family law cases.