Jim O'Callaghan

The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration has revealed more information about the coming children’s court advocate pilot and the family law reporting project.

Jim O’Callaghan has said the two projects will “make a significant contribution to ongoing improvements of our family justice system and will help to promote greater transparency and ensure that children are heard and supported in proceedings”.

The children’s court advocate pilot is “an innovative new service which aims to ensure children are supported with clear, accessible information about the legal process, and provided with meaningful opportunities to express their views about decisions that impact them”, he said.

“There is a constitutional requirement to hear the views of children in certain family law proceedings and I am determined to ensure that every child in such proceedings has the opportunity to realise that right.”

The three-year pilot will initially be established in two District Court locations — Waterford City and Clonmel — and will apply to all applications made for guardianship, custody and/or access.

A second phase, following an 18-month review, will expand the scope of the pilot to include incoming Circuit Court divorce and judicial separation cases.

The family law reporting project “aims to increase public awareness and understanding of family law proceedings. There is no comprehensive system in Ireland for regularly and systematically reporting on private family law proceedings”, Mr O’Callaghan said.

“The project aims to provide transparency for the public while ensuring the right to privacy is upheld for children and parents. It will serve to increase awareness and understanding of family law proceedings, while building confidence and trust in the judicial determination of family law disputes.”

He continued: “Both projects will make a significant contribution to ongoing improvements of our family justice system and will help to promote greater transparency and ensure that children are heard and supported in proceedings.

“Our aim is to create a family justice system that promotes a more efficient, less adversarial approach, greater use of mediation where appropriate, and access to clear, comprehensive and accessible information on relevant supports and services.”