Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 27 Jan 1999

Vol. 499 No. 1

Written Answers. - Family Law Court.

Jim Higgins

Ceist:

804 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of judges assigned to the family law courts; the number of cases listed for hearing at the courts; and the number of cases discharged for each of the years 1997 and 1998. [1241/99]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

No judge is specifically assigned to hear family law cases in particular. In the Dublin Metropolitan District Court there are two family law courts permanently sitting. Occasionally, when accommodation is available, a third court also sits to hear family law cases. In the Dublin Circuit Court there are also two courts sitting permanently to deal with family law. In the High Court, one court sits four days a week specifically to deal with family law cases and applications. In the Provincial District Court areas family law is dealt with at almost every sitting. In addition special courts are held to deal solely with family law. In relation to the Provincial Circuit Courts, days are assigned by the county registrar to deal with family law.

I have set out statistics showing the number of family law cases heard in the District Court for the legal years 1996-97 and 1997-98. For the higher courts the tables show statistics for divorce and judicial separation applications received and granted for 1996-97 and 1997-98, and cases still on hands as of 31 July 1998.

Family Law Cases Heard in the District Courts.

District Court Area	No. of Family Law Cases heardYear ended 31-7-97	No. of Family Law Cases heardYear ended 31-7-98**
Athlone	236	227
Ballina	60	131
Ballinasloe	121	145
Bandon	184	195
Bray	421	504
Carlow	157	230
Carrick-On-Shannon	29	40
Castlebar	104	110
Cavan	139	97
Clonmel	237	237
Cork	1,978	1,661
Derrynea	33	22
Donegal	121	138
Drogheda	635	549
Dundalk	417	404
Ennis	540	603
Fermoy	84	80
Galway	445	584
Gorey	61	107
Kilkenny	150	250
Killarney	86	136
Letterkenny	271	274
Limerick	966	993
Listowel	137	236
Longford	171	123
Loughrea	67	108
Mallow	160	202
Monaghan	149	115
Mullingar	115	91
Naas	468	499
Nenagh	89	89
Portlaoise	341	281
Roscommon	51	51
Sligo	195	209
Thurles	74	125
Tralee	374	336
Trim	357	399
Tuam	53	57
Tullamore	113	143
Waterford	194	191
Wexford	328	302
Youghal	145	175
Dublin Metropolitan	9,989	9,371
Totals	21,045	20,820

**Provisional data.

Divorce and Judicial Separation – Year Ending 31st July 1997

Circuit Court Office	Divorce applications received	Divorce applications granted	Applications for Judicial Separations	Judicial Separations granted
Carlow	1	1	13	26
Carrick-on-Shannon	1	1	15	11
Castlebar	2	3	30	25
Cavan	5	1	16	10
Clonmel	5	0	36	54
Cork	44	4	172	124
Dublin	216	49	448	659
Dundalk	5	3	50	42
Ennis	12	4	23	37
Galway	N.A.	7	23	65
Kilkenny	3	0	14	19
Letterkenny	3	2	22	15
Limerick	10	0	32	60
Longford	0	0	5	6
Monaghan	0	0	31	21
Mullingar	4	2	20	19
Naas	18	1	50	28
Portlaoise	4	1	25	14
Roscommon	3	0	16	11
Circuit Court Office	Divorce applications received	Divorce applications granted	Applications for Judicial Separations	Judicial Separations granted
Sligo	6	6	8	11
Tralee	9	1	25	12
Trim	12	1	33	30
Tullamore	4	1	9	18
Waterford	20	0	14	22
Wexford	8	2	34	32
Wicklow	14	3	44	60
High Court	8	2	54	50
Supreme Court	0	0	1	0
Totals	417	95	1,263	1,481

Divorce and Judicial Separation – Year Ending 31st July 1998

Cirucit Court Office	Divorce application received	Divorce granted	Divorce application on hands	Judicial Separation received	Judicial Separation granted	Judicial Separation on hands
Carlow	34	9	25	19	2	23
Carrick-on-Shannon	9	6	3	10	7	18
Castlebar	62	27	37	49	17	44
Cavan	26	12	14	16	9	14
Clonmel	64	31	35	41	31	35
Cork	268	131	282	228	107	186
Dublin	1,277	715	694	567	421	729
Dundalk	76	35	36	37	41	41
Ennis	48	25	38	38	13	31
Galway	59	61	0	21	29	0
Kilkenny	45	18	30	37	20	30
Letterkenny	57	19	38	59	13	55
Limerick	105	34	81	68	33	87
Longford	17	16	1	5	2	4
Monaghan	26	11	23	40	20	37
Mullingar	42	20	24	13	7	14
Naas	67	28	62	47	17	74
Portlaoise	16	8	17	14	4	21
Roscommon	11	10	11	8	7	4
Sligo	18	15	3	12	5	9
Tralee	89	31	58	44	28	16
Trim	54	26	28	30	19	11
Tullamore	20	14	9	17	7	13
Waterford	76	52	47	30	24	14
Wexford	88	53	41	27	29	18
Wicklow	32	11	51	17	6	22
High Court	36	13	23	56	26	N/A
Supreme Court	0	0	0	0	0	0
Totals	2,722	1,431	1,711	1,550	944	1,550