Vol. 526 No. 6
355 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of grandparents who have applied to the courts for a hearing to obtain access or contact with grandchildren since the introduction of the Children Act, 1997; the number of these which were granted; and the breakdown between paternal and maternal grandparents. [27342/00]
I am informed by the Courts Service that court statistics are not compiled in such a manner as to provide the information sought by the Deputy. A major expansion in the use of information technology is currently under way in the Courts Service and systems are being developed at present to provide improved statistical information.
However, the Deputy will appreciate that the compilation of court statistics is a matter for the Courts Service, which has responsibility for the management and administration of the courts and for the provision of information on the court system to the public, and that I no longer have direct responsibility for such matters.
