At its Human Rights meeting on 17-19 September, the Committee welcomed the enactment of the Court Proceedings (Delays) Act 2024 on 1 May 2024, which establishes a statutory remedy for excessive length of proceedings and provides individuals with a right to seek a declaration and compensation for unreasonable delays in civil and criminal proceedings before an assessment mechanism.
This development, responding to the Committee's previous calls, marks a significant milestone towards the full execution of the McFarlane v. Ireland judgment, which concerns the excessive length of both criminal and civil proceedings and the lack of an effective remedy for these problems. The Committee further encouraged the Irish authorities to continue prioritising the establishment of the assessment mechanism so that the remedy can become fully operational and accessible without further delay. The Committee will continue to follow the progress made at one of its Human Rights meetings in 2026.
