Minister for Justice Heather Humphreys has said it will be a top priority for her to establish a new Environmental Law Court, as a division of the High Court, by early next year.
She said she "fully supports" reform of the system of judicial review in the planning process, as being advanced by Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien, and in the wider law.
The minister said the Department of Justice is bringing forward legislation to reform judicial review in the civil justice area to improve the timeliness, efficiency and cost effectiveness of the process and to amend elements of the Rules of Court.
She said she also expects the review of the Judicial Planning Working Group, which looks at the numbers of judges that will be required across the courts, to be completed early in the new year.
This will allow for increased resources and reformed work practices across the courts to further improve timelines and efficiencies.
