21 Mr. Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on the setting up of an arbitration centre, linked to the commercial court, which would resolve international disputes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9339/02]

59 Mr. Yates asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on the plans to introduce a commercial court. [9338/02]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 59 together.

The company law review group, in its first report, published 28 February 2002, recommends the establishment of a commercial division within the High Court to deal with business-to-business and business-to-State litigation. I was pleased to see that almost exactly at the same time as the company law review group made its recommendations in this area, the Committee on Court Practice and Procedure recommended to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform that a commercial court should be established on a pilot basis. That report also proposed consideration of an arbitration centre to service the commercial court. I fully support the principle of establishing a more specialised approach to commercial cases with a view to concentrating expertise and increasing the efficiency of dispute resolution and thereby diminishing costs. I have asked my Department to pursue with the Courts Service how best this can be achieved.

Question No. 22 answered with Question No. 19.