Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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358. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if an up-to-date list of peace commissioners and commissioners of oaths in County Meath will be provided. [7864/20]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Peace Commissioners are appointed by the Minister for Justice and Equality under Section 88 of the Courts of Justice Act, 1924.

There are 147 Peace Commissioners appointed in Co. Meath.

While every effort is made to maintain accuracy, I must caution that this list is not always up to date in taking account of changes in the personal circumstances of individual Peace Commissioners since their appointment. My Department is reliant on the Peace Commissioners and other interested parties to advise of such changes in circumstances.

Individuals requesting the services of a Peace Commissioner are advised to contact local Gardaí to ensure that a particular listed individual is active and available. The details of appointed Peace Commissioners are also retained by the Peace Commissioner Unit in my Department and my officials are happy to assist individuals who require the services of a Peace Commissioner. They can be contacted at info@justice.ie.

Peace Commissioners appointed in Co Meath, by Garda sub-district

Commissioners for Oaths are appointed by the Chief Justice and the records of their appointments are held by the Supreme Court Office. As the Deputy is aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions. In order to be of assistance, I have had enquiries made and a list of Commissioners for Oaths in the Meath area has been provided.

As I have previously outlined in relation to the information provided on Peace Commissioners, while every effort is made to maintain accuracy, I must caution that this list of Commissioners for Oaths is not always up to date in taking account of changes in the personal circumstances of individual Commissioners for Oaths since their appointment. The Supreme Court Office is reliant on the Commissioners of Oaths to inform them of such changes in circumstances. Moreover, I understand that the list provided is very likely to contain the names of Commissioners for Oaths who have passed away. In providing the Deputy with this information, therefore, I would be anxious that the information be handled sensitively and that it would not be a source of upset to family members of a Commissioner of Oaths (or indeed a Peace Commissioner) within the lists who have since passed away. Due to the nature of the Commissioner of Oaths records , some of which are paper based and contained in ledger books while more recently moving to the electronic recording of this information, the Courts Service have advised that there is a small margin of error when creating a list to cover a full county area spanning many decades as this one does.

Commissioners for Oaths in Meath