MAIN POINTS

. The establishment of a system of about 15 Regional Family courts, as a division of the Circuit Court;

. The establishment of a system of about 15 Regional Family courts, as a division of the Circuit Court;

. They should be presided over by judges nominated for at least a year on the basis of their special knowledge of and interest in family law matters;

. Each Regional Family Court should have a Family Court Information Centre attached which would provide applicants with information on alternatives to litigation and the implications of the legal proceedings;

. A system of case management should be introduced through Rules of Court, which would ensure speed and efficiency in processing cases;

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. A system of pre trial review of family cases should be introduced, initially on a pilot basis. This would resolve procedural difficulties and reduce points of contention;

. A professional mediation service should be established. However, this should not be seen as a replacement for litigation;

. The court should have the power to appoint an independent representative for a child whose welfare is an issue.

. A family assessment service should be available to any court concerned with issues of child custody or access, staffed by appropriately trained personnel;

. The existing in camera rules should be modified to the extent of allowing researchers in family law to attend.

. There should be provision for judges to receive further education in family law and related disciplines on a systematic basis. Lawyers in this field should also have access to further education and training;

. There should be systematic research both on statistics relating to family law cases, and into the family law system in general;

. There should be substantial additional funding made available to implement the proposals.