THE GOVERNMENT HAS awarded the contract for the long-awaited Dublin Family Court Complex.

Back in December 2019, 11 organisations called on the government to immediately allocate funding for the development of the court. 

The groups behind the Courting Disaster campaign said they had formed a coalition to highlight “the archaic conditions in which family law and childcare cases are currently being heard”.

Planning permission was granted for the project on Hammond Lane back in April 2024.

The planned complex is to comprise 19 courtrooms and a number of virtual courtrooms, along with mediation and support facilities. 

The public entrance will be located facing Bow Street and Smithfield, with a staff entrance on Church Street and vehicular access on Hammond Lane. 

It’s understood that the government has approved justice minister Jim O’Callaghan’s recommendation to appoint the preferred tenderer and to proceed with the contract award for the Dublin Family Courts Complex.

The Programme for Government commits to completing the purpose-built complex at Hammond Lane by 2030.

Last September, O’Callaghan said the complex will be a “modern, purpose-built facility where family law cases can be held in a dignified, secure and non-threatening environment”.

“It has been designed and will be built with the specific needs of family law court users in mind,” he added.

Back in September, he remarked that subject to the successful completion of the procurement process, current timescales envisage that construction will commence in early 2027.

On completion, it will replace the existing family law facilities in central Dublin at Dolphin House, Phoenix House, Chancery Street courthouse and in the Four Courts.