Courts Service Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 September 2016

Friday, 16 September 2016

Ceisteanna (165)

John Brady

Ceist:

165. Deputy John Brady asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of probate officers in the State and the locations they are based; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25936/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality

The Probate Office is an office of the High Court and management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions under the Courts Service Act 1998.

In order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had inquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that Probate Services are provided through the Probate Office, an Office of the High Court in Dublin under the management of the Probate Officer. In addition to the Probate Office, there are fourteen District Probate Registries located outside Dublin that provide probate services. These registries are attached to Circuit Court Offices under the control of County Registrars. They have authority to issue grants of representation where the deceased, at the time of death, had a fixed place of abode within the area of jurisdiction of the District Registry.

There are currently 11 County Registrars carrying out probate functions as outlined below. It should be noted that in a number of Districts the District Probate functions are being carried out by the County Registrar of a neighbouring County who is for the time being assigned to those duties as follows:

Probate District	District Probate Registry	County Registrar
Mayo	Castlebar Court Office	County Registrar, Castlebar, Co. Mayo
Cavan/Longford	Cavan Court Office	County Registrar, Cavan, Co. Cavan
Cork	Cork Court Office	County Registrar, Cork
Wexford	Wexford Court Office	County Registrar, Wexford
Waterford	Waterford Court Office	County Registrar, Waterford
Galway/Roscommon	Galway Court Office	County Registrar Galway
Louth/Monaghan	Dundalk Court Office	County Registrar, Dundalk, Co. Louth
Kerry	Tralee Court Office	County Registrar, Tralee, Co. Kerry
Donegal	Letterkenny Court Office	County Registrar, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
Kilkenny/Carlow/Laois	Kilkenny Court Office	County Registrar, Wexford, Co. Wexford
Sligo/Leitrim	Sligo Court Office	County Registrar, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
Westmeath/Offaly	Mullingar Court Office	County Registrar, Cavan, Co. Cavan
Limerick/Clare	Limerick Court Office	County Registrar, Ennis, Co. Clare.
Tipperary	Clonmel Court Office	County Registrar, Bray Court Office, Wicklow

A review of the Probate System is being carried out at present and a report will issue in due course with recommendations for the modernisation of the process. Submissions have been sought in relation to the matter and should be submitted without delay to [e-mail].