Northern Ireland’s Department of Justice has said it will consider how to fund Lord Justice Gillen’s recommendations for civil and family justice reforms over the coming months.

The consultations on Lord Gillen’s two draft reports have now closed.

In its responses, The Bar of Northern Ireland voiced concerns about funding for the proposed reforms, calling for an early indication from the Department of Justice on the financial viability of the recommendations.

It warned that the draft report on family justice “only adds more recommendations for reform into an already crowded arena which is hampered by significant budgetary restraints”.

On civil justice, the Bar said it was “concerned by the financial cost and the ability to secure funding for many of the reforms, whether in relation to services for personal litigants or court modernisation and technological improvements”.

Today, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice told Irish Legal News: “The Department of Justice has welcomed the Review of Civil and Family Justice and the work carried out by the Review to date with the publication of two substantial draft reports for consultation however, awaits the Review’s final recommendations.

“The final recommendations of the Review will inform the Department’s policy on reform of the civil and family courts in this mandate with the aim of improving access to justice whilst ensuring a system that is financially viable.

“Over the coming weeks and months the Department will be considering the recommendations carefully and identifying those which have cost implications and how they might be funded.”