Keith Walsh

Mr Justice David Barniville, president of the High Court, yesterday set out details of the pilot, which will begin on 1 July 2024 and run until the end of September 2024.

It follows a recommendation of the Judicial Planning Working Group (JPWG) that consideration be given to staggering court vacation periods across different courts.

The pilot will involve five High Court judges across the family, non-jury/judicial review/asylum and immigration, and planning and environment lists.

Family lawyer Keith Walsh told Irish Legal News: “This initiative could herald the end of an era. While the District Courts always sit through September, no substantial number of High Court judges have sat during the Long Vacation before this year since the founding of the State.

“This initiative will bring greater efficiencies and will serve family law clients who otherwise may have had to wait further months for their cases to be reached.

“In addition it is to be hoped that the additional month sitting from 2nd September on will allow cases taking a number of days to be cleared as well as any backlog of Circuit Court appeals.

“This is an excellent initiative of the judiciary and the Courts Service and will be welcomed by clients and litigants in particular. If this pilot works, it would be great if two family law judges could sit in both July and September 2025.”