To ask the Minister for Home Affairs if he is aware that many cases of extreme hardship have arisen through the absence of tribunals empowered to deal with workers compensation claims, and when he proposes to establish such courts.

I am aware, and regret that cases of hardship have arisen, not so much through the absence of tribunals empowered to deal with such cases as the present conditions, which render the setting up of such tribunals impossible, the County Courts and the Recorders Courts are the only Courts at present empowered to deal with workmen's compensation cases, and the County Courts will go out as usual on the Autumn Session, and the Recorder's Court in Cork City, with which, presumably, the Deputy is particularly interested, will sit and hear such cases, pending the reconstruction under the Judicial Committee outlined in my reply to the Deputy yesterday. These Courts must continue to deal with such cases.