INCREASING numbers of people are applying to change their name, a development attributed to Ireland’s growing immigrant population.
The annual report of the Courts Service, released last week, revealed that just over 2,500 people applied to change their names in 2006, a 33 per cent increase on the previous year when 1,885 made such applications.
Changing one’s name by Deed Poll is a service facilitated by the High Court. According to the Courts Service: “As Ireland’s population diversifies, a growing number of applications are being made by non-Irish nationals, who require a licence from the Immigration and Citizenship Section of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to register a Deed Poll.”
Meanwhile, the annual report also revealed that there were 909 new asylum-related judicial review cases, up from 758 the previous year.
Over 80 per cent of such cases are being completed in 24 months or less (35 per cent commenced and concluded in 2006, while 51 per cent commenced in 2005 and concluded in 2006). Some 10 per cent of all High Court written judgements now relate to asylum cases
The report also noted: “The [Courts] Service must take account of the increasing diversity of court users. Many do not speak English or Irish as a first language. The programme to provide information in a range of languages continued with the publication of information on a selection of court procedures including small claims and bail in a range of languages in addition to English and Irish. They include French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Polish.”
The report added that the Courts Service “concluded a contract with an external provider during 2006 to provide interpretation services in all courts”.
