Hugh Condron - Family Law Consultant

The government has recently put more resources into handling domestic violence cases, which was certainly long overdue. However, this increase in capacity is barely keeping up with our growing population and the increased demand for court services. While the increase in capacity is a good thing, all of this progress is likely to be undone by the Family Courts Bill 2022 which is currecny before the Seanad. People who work in family law across the country are confused by the proposal in this bill to add separations, divorces, and cohabitation cases to the workload of the already under pressure District Court. The District Court is not well-suited to handle these types of cases. Separation, divorce, and cohabitation cases are often very complex and can require many hours to resolve. The District Court is not set up to properly deal with this type of work. The bill also proposes an arbitrary financial distinction between which cases will start in the District Court and which will remain in...

  Disappointment as construction of family courts complex delayed again Family lawyers have been left disappointed by reports that the construction of the long-awaited family courts complex at Hammond Lane will not begin until 2026. The Hammond Lane site was earmarked in 2014 for the development, which is intended to replace the existing facilities for family law at Dolphin House, Chancery Street, Phoenix House and in the Four Courts. The timetable for the project has repeatedly slipped, despite hopes that the project would pick up pace after approval in principle by the Department of Justice in June 2022. The design plans for the building were approved in principle in November 2022. However, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice has said that construction is now “expected to commence in 2026”, meaning that the project “would be completed in 2028”. Family lawyer Keith Walsh told  Irish Legal News  that the latest delay is “very bad news for families who are fo...