Legal

Elaine Byrne: More judges needed if €363m ‘zero tolerance’ sexual violence strategy is to work

Overworked district courts are ‘managing’ family law lists instead of getting through them. It seems Ireland is very good at legislating but not at resourcing

Helen McEntee, the Minister for Justice: launching the government’s Zero Tolerance strategy last week to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Picture: Maxwells

“In a midlands court today a single judge was expected to get through eight Tusla cases, 18 domestic violence cases, 19 maintenance applications and 18 custody, access and guardianship matters. How is this in any way a proper way to run our courts system?”

So asked Gareth Noble on Twitter recently. The children’s rights solicitor with KOD Lyons law firm regularly details his frustrating experiences in the district courts and has received much support from ...