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High Court immigration division to be set up

A draft programme for Government published yesterday (15 January) includes a commitment to set up an expanded Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.

This department will have responsibility for international-protection accommodation and integration.

As part of what is described as a “fair but firmer” migration system, there are also plans for a dedicated division of the High Court to handle all immigration cases, as well as increased staffing “at every stage” of the international-protection system.

The document is the basis for a coalition agreement between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Independent Regional Group and Kerry independent TDs Michael and Danny Healy-Rae.

Called Securing Ireland’s Future, it pledges to “prioritise investment across the
justice system” – including in An Garda Síochána, the courts, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the prisons, and the Probation Service.

More judges

It includes a commitment to restore criminal legal-aid fees for solicitors and barristers, and to reform how the system operates.

On the wider justice system, the new Government says that it will appoint 20 more judges within 12 months and “plan for further increases to meet growing demands and timely access to justice”.

There is also a plan to provide the Minister for Justice with new powers to ask the Judicial Council to draw up sentencing guidelines for a particular crime area within a certain timeframe.

A review of the Courts Service and the Legal Services Regulatory Authority will be carried out “within 12 months”, with legislative changes to follow “to ensure the courts and legal system are digital, modern, cost-effective, and focused on the needs of victims”.

Legal education

On the legal profession, the documents says that the Government will “introduce independent oversight of professional legal education, support the development of a national apprenticeship programme for solicitor training, and remove barriers to becoming a solicitor or barrister”.

The programme includes a pledge to establish a regional office for the DPP and a “permanent on-site build” in Dublin.

The new Government says that it will also look at legislating for increased court capacity at night and off-site temporary courts.

Garda public-transport hubs

The document says that the Government will provide funding to recruit at least 5,000 new garda recruits and additional garda staff over the next five years.

It commits to increasing garda visibility on public transport – including the introduction of ‘garda transport hubs based at major bus and train stations.

The programme also contains a section outlining plans for measures to combat retail crime

It also says that facial-recognition technology will be deployed for serious crimes and missing persons, “with strict safeguards”

The document includes a plan to enact legislation to combat anti-social behaviour, with greater use of anti-social behaviour warnings (ASBWs) and anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs).

‘Health-led’ drugs approach

It commits to a health-led approach to drug addiction and to diverting those found in possession of drugs for personal use to health services.

On prisons, the Government commits to enacting the Inspection of Places of Detention Bill to enable ratification of the UN Optional Protocol to UN Convention on Torture (OPCAT).

The programme also includes commitments to legislation to update the licensing laws, a Night-Time Economy Bill, and a restoration of the Defamation Bill.