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Minister Flanagan launches MII Brochure on Mediation for Farm Families

The Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan, T.D., today
launched a brochure produced by the Mediators’ Institute of Ireland aimed
at promoting the use of mediation in farm disputes.



Speaking at the National Ploughing Championships, the Minister said:



“As a practising solicitor for many years I am well aware of the distress

and, indeed, the devastation, that can arise in disputes about farmland. In

Ireland we have a deep emotional connection to the land, perhaps arising

out of our historical experiences as a people.”



The Minister said that the Government strongly supports mediation as an

alternative method of resolving disputes, and, indicated that he expects

that the Mediation Bill will become law within the coming weeks and will

usher in greater use of mediation in dispute resolution. He said:



“Court proceedings can be very costly, very stressful, and can take a great

deal of time.  The Mediation Bill is intended to promote mediation as a

viable, effective and efficient alternative to court proceedings.  The

enactment of the Mediation Bill will speed up resolution of disputes,

reduce legal costs associated with such disputes and reduce or avoid the

stress involved in adversarial court proceedings.”



The Minister concluded that:



“Most importantly of all, from a family farm point of view, mediation

allows the parties themselves agree the resolution to the dispute, and

therefore provides a means for good relations between family, friends and

neighbours to be maintained.  Strong family networks and good neighbourly

relations have always been a crucial part of the fabric of rural Ireland.

Mediation can help protect that social fabric.”



The Minister thanked the Mediators’ Institute of Ireland for its work and

urged those attending the Ploughing Championships to take home a copy of

the leaflet.



Notes for Editors:



The Mediation Bill (2017):



·    Introduces an obligation on solicitors and barristers to advise their
     clients to consider using mediation as a means of resolving disputes,
     and to provide their clients with details of mediation services;

·    Provides that a court may, on its own initiative or on the initiative
     of the parties invite the parties to consider mediation as a means of
     resolving the dispute;

·    Contains general principles for the conduct of mediation by qualified
     mediators;

·    Provides that all communications (including oral communications)
     relating to a mediation shall be confidential;

·    Provides for the introduction of codes of practice for the conduct of
     mediation by mediators.

·    Provides for the possible future establishment of a Mediation Council
     to oversee development of the sector