The resources of the Circuit Court were sufficient at the moment, the outgoing president of the Circuit Court, Mr Justice Esmond Smyth, said yesterday.
However, he said it was difficult to predict the effect on the workload of the Circuit Court in the future under, for example, the new residential tenancies legislation.
The procedures modernise landlord/tenant legislation.
Mr Justice Smyth was speaking after tributes were paid to him on his retirement as president of the Circuit Court. He is the first president to retire following the introduction of legislation which limits the office to a seven-year term. He will continue as a judge.
He said in 2003 there were 40,000 civil cases. In 1998 there were 700 indictable trials, but this number had almost quadrupled. Many of the criminal trials now proceeded on the trial date. The number of judges had doubled from 17 when he was appointed to 34. He thought the resources were sufficient at present.
"Of course, circumstances can change, and it can be difficult to predict the effect, for example, of the impact of the residential tenancies legislation."
He wanted to thank the Government, the Minister for Justice and his predecessor, and the Attorney General and his predecessor for granting requests for more judges.
Chief Justice John Murray led the tributes to Mr Justice Smyth.
He said the Circuit Court had grown to 56 venues, and the number of judges had doubled. This was a demonstration of the growth in the challenges that were imposed on the president.
In the Circuit Court, there were many serious criminal cases. "The waiting time for criminal trials has been reduced from 12 to 18 months to less than six weeks, and this is due to the president's efficiency in the administration of judicial resources and allocation of judges."
It was a great tribute to him and the effectiveness of the president that a working group found that there should be no change in the administration of the Circuit Court as it functioned so well.
Attorney General Rory Brady said there had been a massive growth in volume and complexity in the courts, and the president should be complimented on the speed of the criminal system. "Many burdens were placed on you, particularly with the growth of crime in our society. On behalf of the Government, we express our gratitude in the way the system has been administered."
Other tributes included those by chairman of the Bar Council of Ireland Hugh Mohan SC; president of the Law Society Owen Binchy; the assistant Garda commissioner Alan McHugh; Brendan Ryan, chief executive of the Courts Service; and Circuit Court staff.