Family Courts Act 2024

Bill entitled an Act to provide for the establishment of a Family High Court, Family Circuit Court and Family District Court as divisions of the existing High Court, Circuit Court and District Court; to provide for the reallocation of jurisdiction in family law proceedings between the family courts; to provide for the assignment of Principal Judges and other judges to the family courts; to provide for the establishment of Family Circuit Court circuits and Family District Court districts; to provide for matters supplementary to the establishment of the family courts and matters relating to the judges of those courts; to make provision in relation to the conduct of family law proceedings before such courts; to provide for the establishment of a Family Law Rules Committee or Family Law Sub-committees of existing rules committees; and, for those and other purposes, to amend the Courts of Justice Act 1924, the Court Officers Act 1926, the Legitimacy Act 1931, the Courts of Justice Act 1936, the Enforcement of Court Orders Act 1940, the Courts of Justice Act 1953, the Courts (Establishment and Constitution) Act 1961, the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act 1961, the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964, the Courts Act 1971, the Family Home Protection Act 1976, the Family Law (Maintenance of Spouses and Children) Act 1976, the Courts Act 1981, the Family Law Act 1981, the Status of Children Act 1987, the Judicial Separation and Family Law Reform Act 1989, the Child Care Act 1991, the Child Abduction and Enforcement of Custody Orders Act 1991, the Maintenance Act 1994, the Family Law Act 1995, the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995, the Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996, the Jurisdiction of Courts and Enforcement of Judgments Act 1998, the Protection of Children (Hague Convention) Act 2000, the Courts and Court Officers Act 1995, the Courts (No. 2) Act 1997, the Courts and Court Officers Act 2002, the Civil Registration Act 2004, the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009, the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010, the Adoption Act 2010, the European Communities (Maintenance) Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 274 of 2011), the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015, the Gender Recognition Act 2015, the Domestic Violence Act 2018, the Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2023, the European Union (Hague Maintenance Convention) Regulations 2019 (S.I. No. 594 of 2019), the European Communities (Decisions in Matrimonial Matters and in Matters of Parental Responsibility and International Child Abduction) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 400 of 2022) and certain other enactments; to provide for the protection of parties in family law proceedings; to provide for the repeal of certain enactments; and to provide for related matters.

Last updated: 13 Nov 2024

Sponsored by: Minister for Justice;

Source: Government

Originating House: Seanad Éireann