Addressing a seminar at NUI Galway on Wednesday, Mr Justice Clarke also said he hoped proposals for reform of the courts could be presented to Government before the next budgetary round later this year. However, reform of the court system cannot be “distanced” from additional resources, he emphasised. Judges in district courts could specialise in particular areas, similar to the system in the High Court, by assigning particular judges to particular regions, he suggested. Stating that he did not believe there were any “magic bullets,” nor was he suggesting “significant” reform was necessary, Mr Justice Clarke said he proposed instigating a debate among all interested parties to produce a “high level blueprint”. Mr O’Malley favoured “judicially favoured guidance” for serious offences, developed by the Court of Appeal – which would require additional resources.

Source: The Irish Times January 17, 2018 21:56 UTC