Jim O'Callaghan

The minister for justice, migration and home affairs set out his implementation plan for the Family Courts Act 2024 at the fifth session of the Family Justice Development Forum yesterday.

He also launched Ireland’s first set of child maintenance guidelines, which he said are aimed at “improving fairness, consistency and transparency when parents are making child maintenance arrangements”.

The development of the guidelines was a key recommendation of a 2024 review of the enforcement of child maintenance orders.

On the long-awaited family courts reform, Mr O’Callaghan said the first family courts would be established in selected locations on a phased basis before a full national roll-out.

“It is a key objective for me and for the government to ensure that the family courts are more user-friendly, less costly and place the needs of children at the centre of family law proceedings,” the minister said.

“The implementation plan for the Family Courts Act will provide for a phased commencement of the Act, bringing the family courts into operation in specific locations over a series of stages before a full national roll-out.

“My officials will commence work immediately with the Courts Service to establish the first family courts in January 2027.”

Mr O’Callaghan also noted positive progress on several other family justice initiatives, including the forthcoming establishment of the children’s court advocate pilot project in two locations, Waterford and Clonmel.

A template and guidelines for “voice of the child” reports will be published in the coming months, he added.

Yesterday’s Family Justice Development Forum also heard updates from Maria Fitzgerald, associate director of judicial studies at the Judicial Council, and Fiona McAuslan, director of the Legal Aid Board’s family mediation service.

Mr O’Callaghan said: “A significant aspect of the Family Courts Act is that it provides for judges who have specialist training or experience in dealing with family law matters to be assigned to the family courts divisions on a full-time basis.

“The provisions of the Act will also lead to improved levels of judicial expertise and training in family law matters.

“Ultimately, we all want to ensure that we continue to promote mediation as a mechanism of resolving disputes.

“Promoting the use of alternative dispute resolution methods, such as mediation, to resolve family law disputes, in so far as is possible and appropriate, is one of the guiding principles of the Family Courts Act.”

He concluded: “I want to emphasise as minister that I am committed to implementing significant progress on family justice reforms.”