asked the Minister for Justice when actions will be heard in (a) the High Court and (b) the Circuit Court in Dublin in respect of which notices of trial are filed this week.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Court Actions.
39.
The interval between the lodgment of notices of trial and the hearing of actions is about three months in the case of High Court common law actions; about six months in the case of High Court Chancery actions; and about five months in the case of Dublin Circuit Court actions.
40.
asked the Minister for Justice if he will state in respect of the Dublin Circuit Court in the past two years the number of civil bills and notices of trial issued.
In the year ended 31st July, 1965, there were 4,478 civil bills and 571 notices of trial; in the year ended 31st July, 1966, there were 5,168 civil bills and 587 notices of trial.
41.
asked the Minister for Justice if he will state in respect of the Dublin Circuit Court the proportion of cases in which notices of trial are filed in which post cards of notification of the listing of the actions are also lodged in the Circuit Court office.
As the Deputy is aware, the system of post cards referred to by him is a local unofficial arrangement not provided for either by statute or Court Rule.
I am informed that the post cards are used in about one-seventh of the cases set down for trial in the Dublin Circuit Court.
Having regard to the fact that it is optional, those cards are provided in only one-seventh of the cases with the result that a great deal of confusion has arisen in other cases because there is expectation of receiving cards on the part of the solicitor acting for the parties who do not lodge the notice of the trial. Will the Minister now consider making it mandatory to have those cards lodged and sent in all cases? The present position is that a person expecting to receive notice by post card from the Circuit Court misses the case because he does not keep watch on the legal diary.
That is what the Legal Diary is there for. This is an additional facility given on an ex gratia basis by the County Registrar. However, I will have a look into it.