A national plan to implement the landmark Family Courts Act will be released by January 2026, according to Minister of State for Justice, Deputy Niall Collins, who addressed the Dáil on the matter last week.
The legislation introduces a new structure of dedicated family courts across all levels of the judiciary, including a Family High Court, Family Circuit Court, and Family District Court. These courts will be staffed by judges with specific expertise in family law, a move intended to improve the consistency, efficiency, and sensitivity of family law proceedings.
This is the most transformative reform of the family law system in over 100 years according to Deputy Collins. He said that the goal is to create a court system that is more streamlined, more accessible, and above all, centered on the best interests of children and families.
Each tier of the new family court system will be overseen by a principal judge tasked with managing caseloads and ensuring that cases are dealt with promptly and effectively.
As part of the upcoming changes, the 2025 Budget has allocated an additional €11 million to the Courts Service, with €3 million specifically designated for the development of a children’s court advocate initiative, further underlining the government’s commitment to child-focused justice.
It will be interesting to see how this develops and we will certainly be keeping a close eye on such developments.
For more information on any area of family law, please reach out to us on 01 296 0666 and one of our dedicated family law solicitors will be happy to assist you.
