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Law Society welcomes plan for more judges

The L.aw Society has welcomed Cabinet approval of plans to appoint 20 additional judges.

The solicitor representative body said the Justice Minister’s commitment to improving resourcing of the courts system, which has had to grapple with under-investment over a long period, was welcome.

Law Society President Barry MacCarthy said: “The Law Society welcomes the plans to appoint additional judges announced by the Minister for Justice this week.

“Having engaged with the Judicial Planning Working Group to highlight the need for more judges, and more diversity among our judges, this announcement is a positive step in the right direction,” he said.

Backlogs

He added that continued attention must be focused on securing adequate resourcing for the courts, or backlogs would continue to rise and access to justice will be delayed.

“The Family Courts Bill has the potential to transform the experience of children, survivors of domestic violence, and families who have no option but to access justice through the courts,” MacCarthy said (23 October).

“The Law Society is encouraged that some of the planned judicial appointments will support the establishment of the Family Courts.

“This is an important piece of legislation that needs more resources to achieve its aims, and the Law Society will continue to engage with the Department of Justice to realise the potential for a courts system that puts families at its core," he said.