Court Accommodation
Seanad Éireann — 2026-03-18
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Lorraine Clifford-Lee (FF), Nominated by the Taoiseach

I welcome the Minister of State. I appreciate his taking the time to answer this Commencement matter.
As those who are long-standing Members of this Chamber will know, this is an issue that I have been raising since my election in 2016. There is a long and sorry history to the proposed new family courts complex at Hammond Lane. The site was bought in 2000 by the OPW, and a new family law complex for Dublin was promised in 2014. Currently, Dublin's family law courts are housed at Dolphin House, Phoenix House, Chancery Street and the Four Courts complex. As a solicitor, I know these courthouses well and have practised in them. They are completely unsuitable for court users and legal practitioners. They are old and without modern facilities. They are lacking in the privacy that the family law system needs, given that those who are engaging in complex family law issues need privacy.
In July 2023, almost ten years after it was announced that a new family law courts complex would be delivered at the Hammond Lane site, the Department of Justice gave approval in principle to proceed with the Dublin family courts complex as a public-private partnership. Until this point and still today - I passed by the site recently - it has been a massive hole in the ground in the north inner city. It is a blight on that community and a blight on Dublin, particularly the northside. In April 2024, planning permission was granted for a six-storey, over-basement building, including 19 courtrooms, consultation spaces, staff and judicial rooms, a variety of public waiting areas, spaces for mediation and domestic violence services and supports, rooms for legal practitioners and custody facilities.
This is really good and is needed for the people of Dublin. Dublin has waited long enough for this new family courts complex. I believe it is at the procurement stage at present. I ask the Minister of State to give us a clear outline as to where the project is at, when the procurement stage will be finished and when it will be open to the public.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-03-18/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:44+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-03-18