Legislation to promote mediation approved after delays

Legislation to promote mediation as an alternative to court proceedings was approved at the final stage by the Oireachtas last night.

The Mediation Bill returned to the Dáil after it was unexpectedly amended in the Seanad to address concerns that women could be pressured to take part in mediation with abusive partners.

The Department of Justice said the bill, long sought by the Mediators’ Institute of Ireland (MII), will speed up resolution of disputes, reduce legal costs associated with such disputes, and reduce or avoid the stress involved in adversarial court proceedings.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said: “I believe that enactment of this Bill will have an enormous beneficial effect in terms of promoting the use of mediation as an alternative to court proceedings.

“The Bill has been broadly welcomed by the mediation sector and I thank them for their input.”

Sabine Walsh, president of the MII, said: “We are delighted that the Dáil has passed the Mediation Bill this evening and that the Bill will be enacted upon the signature of the President.”

She said the timing of the announcement is “a great boost for mediation in Ireland”, coming just ahead of Mediation Awareness Week, which runs from 7-14 October.

Ms Walsh added: “The Bill will make mediation more available and deliver better resolutions, at a lower cost, to those who are involved in disputes. Enactment of the Bill has the potential to divert many civil and commercial disputes from our courts and deliver major savings to individuals and the public purse.

“Enactment will also entail increased responsibilities for mediators and for our profession. We will need to raise the level of awareness about how mediation works and what it can deliver for people involved in disputes. The MII, which sets the professional standards for accredited mediators will work to improve these standards over time and to build confidence in the practise of mediation for users in the weeks, months and years ahead.”