I had registered my opposition to sections 70, 71 and 72, which arise on foot of the need for the jurisdiction of the District Court to be expanded. I will not speak again, but it is convenient to come in now in relation to what the Minister said. If the Minister is not with me in terms of the issues that might arise from the enormous expansion of the District Court jurisdiction, then these sections are necessary. However, I would just sound a note of caution regarding the ability of the District Court, in the cont…

I have already registered my opposition to this. What section 76 proposes to do is to amend section 10 of the Family Home Protection Act 1976 and therefore to confer on the District Court a jurisdiction it does not have at present. The Family Home Protection Act is massively important legislation that transformed the status of women in relation to family law proceedings because before that, there was an extent to which the family home could be sold out from under them. While I am not saying that there is any move h…

I move amendment No. 87: In page 64, to delete lines 33 to 40. This amendment relates to section 77(a), (b) and (c). It concerns the Family Law (Maintenance of Spouses and Children) Act 1976 and would amend it in a number of different respects, but would permit a District Court to make a separation agreement as a rule of court. Paragraph (c) confers jurisdiction on the District Court to make pension preservation orders in separation agreements. As with judicial separation and separation agreements, their enforcemen…

I move amendment No. 88: In page 66, lines 29 and 30, to delete “Subject section 69 of the Family Courts Act 2022 and subsection (4),”. If I may speak very briefly, this is a similar issue. However, the amendment relates specifically to the context of the land jurisdiction.

I know Senator Horkan will not interrupt again, as the Acting Chair has allowed me to say a few words on the issue.

The amendment relates to section 78(2) and the proposed new section 8 being inserted into the 1981 Act. It again confers jurisdiction on the District Court to deal with property disputes up to a value of €1 million where the parties are formally engaged. This appears to be out of line with the District Court's monetary jurisdiction generally, which is €15,000. It is an enormous jump. Even the Circuit Court is limited to €75,000. Of the new proposed section 8-----

Very good. The Minister understands the point I am making.

I have not heard from the Minister yet, but I will withdraw it any event because I know she is proposing to bring forward amendments on Report Stage.

I move amendment No. 89: In page 66, to delete lines 33 to 38, and in page 67, to delete lines 1 to 22.

I move amendment No. 90: In page 68, line 37, to delete “the Family District Court,”.

I move amendment No. 91: In page 68, to delete line 40, and in page 69, to delete lines 1 to 28.

I move amendment No. 92: In page 69, line 31, to delete “or Family District Court district”.

The Minister understands my position. The amendments I tabled were predicated on concerns about the capacity of the District Court to deal with the expanded jurisdiction that is being handed to it in this Bill. That is not to say the District Court is not important. I do not want to cast any aspersions on it. The District Court deals with a greater caseload than any other court in this jurisdiction. It goes through things at a rate of knots. District Court judges probably sit longer than any other judges in system.…

I move amendment No. 93: In page 76, lines 22 and 23, to delete “Subject to the provisions of this section, the Family District Court (other than in respect of proceedings under Part IV),”.

I move amendment No. 94: In page 76, to delete lines 29 to 40, and in page 77, to delete lines 1 to 15.

I move amendment No. 96: In page 78, line 19, to delete “the Family District Court,”.

I move amendment No. 97: In page 78, to delete lines 27 to 41, and in page 79, to delete lines 1 to 7.

I move amendment No. 98: In page 79, line 9, to delete “the Family District Court and”.

I move amendment No. 99: In page 79, lines 10 and 11, to delete “the Family District Court or”.

I move amendment No. 100: In page 84, to delete line 38.