I thank Senator Byrne for raising this very important issue. I commend her on her observation of what was a very significant announcement made last week by me. The decision was made by Government last week as well. That decision concerned the implementation plan for the commencement of the Family Courts Act which, as the Senator knows, was passed by the Houses back in 2024. It proposes an extremely radical reform of the family law courts throughout the country.

Obviously, what cannot happen is that I just designate that on one day, all the family law courts will be transformed into the modern family law courts envisaged by the legislation. That is why I need a phased implementation plan. As the Senator is aware, last week, I announced an implementation plan for the Act. It will result in very significant reforms of the family justice system - probably the most significant reforms of the family justice system in the history of the State. The plan provides for a phased approach for the commencement and implementation of the Act. It is envisaged that implementation will proceed in three phases, allowing time and space to engage with stakeholders, evaluate progress and identify any issues as they arise. A phased approach that provides for both regional and procedural elements to commence at relevant points during the entire implementation process has been deemed the most practical solution. It also allows for a region-by-region commencement, bringing new family courts into operation in selected locations over a series of stages before a full national roll-out.

The intention is that once we have the new family court system up and running we will, as the Senator very sensibly indicated, have family courts in one location. Around them will be all the necessary back-up services that are required by people who find themselves before the family courts, such as access to Tusla and, more importantly, access to mediation services. This is so people can try to mediate a solution as opposed to having a court-imposed solution. As the Senator indicated, it is not appropriate for people involved in family court proceedings to find themselves in public areas where there are criminal cases going on, for instance, or other disputes going on. We need to recognise that when it comes to family law disputes, they are highly sensitive disputes. We need to go out of way to ensure we can try to facilitate mediated resolution of the disputes. We want to make the environment as amenable as possible for people who find themselves before the courts.

As the Senator indicated, phase 1 will commence in January 2027. Three locations will be initially selected to commence operating as family courts in the new system. The locations will require a family District Court, a family Circuit Court and a family High Court. Judges with specific expertise in dealing with families and family law matters will be assigned to these first court locations on a full-time basis. That process is already ongoing. I am engaging with the presidents of the courts to try to identify the specialist judges. I hear what the Senator is saying about Limerick and its preparedness. I have not made a decision yet, but the Senator certainly has first-mover advantage in that she is the first representative who has come to me to indicate they have a preference for it.

To a large extent, it will be based on factors such as the preparedness of the buildings, whether buildings or Tusla services are available and what other facilities are available for the other court work to continue operating there. The Senator indicated to me there are two courthouses in Limerick and there could possibly be a mechanism of separating family law from the other types of work. I will certainly have a look at that and I thank her for raising the issue. I will have to announce the three locations in the next number of months. I will certainly take into account what the Senator has said in respect of Limerick.