Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 October 2023
269. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department had any engagements with or made submissions to the Department of Justice with respect to the establishment of the new planning and environment division of the High Court; if he will share any submission made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43314/23]
View answerBoth the Programme for Government and the Government's Housing for All Strategy commits to the establishment of a new division of the High Court dealing with planning and environmental issues. The establishment of that Court is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice.
In March 2022 the Department of Justice put in place a Planning and Environmental Court Steering and Implementation Group in the Department of Justice in partnership with the Courts Service and my Department to work together to inform the arrangements to be put in place to establish the new Court division.
On 29 March this year, the President of the High Court signed a new Practice Direction which is necessary for the establishment for the new court. The Practice Direction came into effect on 17 April 2023 and there are two Judges of the High Court assigned to this list. In parallel with this process, Government approved the recommendations of the Judicial Planning Working Group on 21 February 2023 in respect of the establishment of the new court.
My colleague, the Minister for Justice, advises me that the new court has been operationally established for some months now and it is expected to be fully and formally in place shortly.
