The Gazette 1985

GAZETTE

SEPTEMBER1985

Dail Debates

Members may be interested to have note of the following

Dail questions dealt with by the Minister for Justice

recently:-

23 October 1985

District Court in Tallaght (Dublin).

27.

Mr. Taylor

asked the Minister for Justice if he

considers it appropriate to have a District Court located

in Tallaght, County Dublin; and, if so, the steps he is

taking to this end.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East):

District Court business from the Tallaght area is at

present handled in Rathfarnham. The court sits there

for two days a week. Business is increasing and it may

be necessary to increase sitting days to three a week

shortly. Basically, however, Rathfarnham District Court is

adequate to cater for the business arising in its catch-

ment area for the immediate future and, having regard

to present financial constraints, I am reluctant to request

the county council to bear the cost of providing new

courthouse facilities in Tallaght. I am prepared, of

course, to consider any proposals which the council may

care to submit to me.

Land Registry Computerisation.

28.

Mr. Barrett

(Dublin North-West)

asked the Min-

ister for Justice if he is aware of the difficulties experi-

enced by the staff of the Land Registry in dealing with

the increasing volume of work; and if he will take steps

to provide the equipment necessary for the efficient

operation of the office.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East):

major programme of computerisation of the Land

Registry folios commenced in December 1982 and, at

present, approximately 20 per cent of applications for

registration are being processed through the computer.

There has been no difficulty about providing equipment

for the programme and for the various other needs of

the Land Registry and I hope to ensure that this will

continue to be the case.

Report on Penal System.

29.

Tomas Mac Giolla

asked the Minister for Justice

if the Government has considered the Report of the

Whitaker Committee of Inquiry into the Penal System;

if the Government accepts the recommendations of the

committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East):

Certain aspects of the recommendations in the Whitaker

report would involve consideration by the Government;

others would fall within my area of discretion as Minis-

ter for Justice. I am not yet in a position to make any

statement as to what the decisions may be and, as the

issues are both complex and important, I do not expect

that decisions will be finalised for some time yet.

Juries in Civil Court Actions.

30.

Mr. Allen

asked the Minister for Justice when he

will be in a position to submit proposals to the Dáil in

relation to juries in civil court actions.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East):

The necessary legislation to give effect to the Govern-

ment's decision, that in personal injuries cases in the

High Court the issues of liability and damages should be

decided by a judge sitting without a jury, is being drafted.

I hope to be in a position to bring the legislation before

the House very soon.

Establishment of Provincial High Court.

32.

Mr. Foley

asked the Minister for Justice if, in

view of the backlog of High Court cases from the

Munster area, he will give immediate consideration to

the establishment of a permanent High Court in Limer-

ick or Cork with regular sittings in some of the

provincial towns such as Tralee.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East):

The arrangement of sittings of the High Court is a

matter exclusively for the President of the High Court. I

understand that the President is not satisfied that the

setting up of a permanent High Court in Munster is

justified or that it would be feasible to extend sittings to

new venues such as Tralee. The President has arranged

additional sittings in Cork in order to reduce the backlog

of cases awaiting hearing. I understand that the average

delay in hearing cases has been reduced significantly and

that further improvement may be expected in the

immediate future.

27 November 1985

Land Registry Office Staff.

13.

Mr. J. O'Leary

asked the Minister for Justice the

number of staff employed in each grade in the Land

Registry office on 1 November 1982, 1 November 1983,

1 November 1984 and 1 November 1985; the number of

(a) section 49 applications and (b) applications for

transfer of property pending in this office on each of the

above dates; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East):

I propose to circulate the statistics requested to the

extent available in the Official Report.

In the period referred to in the question the total

number of staff employed in the Land Registry fell from

496 to 451. The authorised staffing levels settled on the

basis of the overall volume of work in 1980 was 541. In

the years since 1980 the overall volume of work in each

year has been above the 1980 figure. Despite the

increased workload and the decreasing number of staff

every effort is made to finalise applications as quickly as

possible.

The number of staff employed in each grade in the

Land Registry on the dates in question is as follows:

342