Vol. 445 No. 6
194 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons from the probation and welfare service attached to the Dublin Metropolitan District Court in which family law proceedings are primarily heard at 1 September 1980, 1 September 1985, 1 September 1990, and 1 September 1994. [421/94]
While the Probation and Welfare Service has not had a statutory role in relation to family law cases, probation and welfare officers have traditionally undertaken civil work at the request of the presiding judge. The service's primary role relates to the criminal law area. I am aware that the Probation and Welfare Service, having regard to the demands placed on it arising from its statutory role in the criminal law area and to the overall resources available to it, cannot always meet the increasing demands placed on it in the context of family law cases. The position is being kept under review.
The number of Probation and Welfare Service staff attached to the Dublin Metropolitan Court to deal exclusively with civil work on the dates in question was as follows: 1 September 1980, two Probation and Welfare Officers; 1 September 1985, one Probation and Welfare Officer; 1 September 1990, one Probation and Welfare Officer; 1 September 1994, one Probation and Welfare Officer.
