I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 and 181 together.
The Probate Office is an office of the High Court. Management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions under the Courts Service Act 1998. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that there are 14 District Probate Registries located outside Dublin attached to Circuit Court Offices. Staff in these offices are not exclusively assigned to probate work and also have responsibility for other aspects of circuit court work.
I am sure that the Deputy will appreciate that the Courts Service, in common with all other public sector organisations, is obliged to ensure that resources are deployed to best effect to ensure continuity of service with reduced budgets and resources. Greater flexibility in the deployment of available resources will be critical in maintaining the delivery of front line court services.
The Court Service has informed me that the impact of vacancies on the provision of services will vary between court offices depending on the numbers retiring and the skill sets available in each office. The Service has put in place contingency plans which are being customised to meet the needs of individual offices, including the Galway Circuit Court Office which the Deputy has raised. These plans include technical skills training to address the skills and knowledge deficit resulting from retirements.
The Courts Service has put in place a series of work force planning measures over the last three years to ensure that available resources are deployed to best effect including the centralising of processes, creation of multi jurisdictional combined court offices, rationalisation of court venues and offices, rationalisation and standardisation of processes and an ongoing review of resource allocation including redeployment to front line services.
The table sets out the overall number of staff and vacancies in each Circuit Court office which has a District Probate Registry. The table also sets out the number of recently retired staff who were involved in work in the District Probate Registries.
|
Circuit Court Office
|
Total Number of Staff in each Circuit Court Office*
|
Number of vacancies in each Circuit Court Office
|
Number of retirements by 29 February 2012 from officers involved in probate work in each Circuit Court Office
|
|
Mayo
|
10
|
1
|
0
|
|
Cavan
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
|
Tipperary
|
8
|
1
|
1
|
|
Cork
|
28
|
0
|
0
|
|
Louth
|
8
|
1
|
0
|
|
Galway
|
11
|
3
|
1
|
|
Kilkenny
|
5
|
1
|
1
|
|
Donegal
|
11
|
0
|
0
|
|
Limerick
|
13
|
1
|
0
|
|
Westmeath
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
|
Sligo
|
7
|
0
|
0
|
|
Kerry
|
7
|
5
|
1
|
|
Waterford**
|
15
|
2
|
0
|
|
Wexford
|
5
|
1
|
0
|
|
Total
|
138
|
23
|
5
|
*Number of staff in each circuit court office responsible for all aspects of circuit court work and not exclusively probate work.
**Waterford is now a combined Court Office.
