The District Court – All Districts
In exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 36 of the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act, 1961 as amended by section 113 of the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2023 in the interests of the administration of justice and the determination of proceedings in a manner which is just, expeditious and likely to minimise the cost of those proceedings, I make the following Practice Direction:
Applications to the Court pursuant to section 28 or section 30 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 shall, in every instance, be grounded on one of the following:
- In the case of an ex-parte application under section 28(7) for immediate relief, a sworn information as set out in District Court Rules Form No. 96C.10 in Appendix A to this Direction
- In the case of an application under section 28(1) where immediate relief is not being sought, an unsworn information as set out in Appendix B to this Direction
- In the case of an application under section 28(12) when an interim order is applied for, a sworn information set out in District Court Rules Form No. 96C.10 in Appendix C to this Direction
Where an application is being made to the Court for any of the Orders listed above, the Applicant must complete the appropriate information for the type of Order sought. This information should set out the grounds for making the application and the applicant should specify the kind of conduct the Respondent is alleged to have engaged in and also provide a detailed description of the alleged actions of the Respondent that they will rely on in their application.
A copy of the information/sworn information must be served/sent with the summons for Restraining Order/Application for Interim Order on the Respondent in all cases.
This Practice Direction applies to all Districts with effect from the 1st day of April 2026.
Dated this 30th day of March 2026.
Judge Paul Kelly
President of the District Court.
Appendix A:
Schedule C O.96C, rr.15(1), 16(1)
Record No. _______________
No. 96C.10
Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023, section 28(7)
INFORMATION SUPPORTING APPLICATION FOR EX-PARTE ORDER
District Court Area of District No.
.......................................................of………………………………………………………………………….………*
(in the Court District aforesaid) Applicant
......................................................of………………...……………………………………………………………… *
(in the Court District aforesaid) Respondent
The information of *the above-named applicant of ……………………………………………………...…….... *(or Garda ……………………………………. of ………………………Garda Station on behalf of the applicant by virtue of section 31 of the above-mentioned Act) who says on oath
I request an ex parte Order against the respondent pursuant to the provisions of section 28(7) of the said Act on the grounds:- [Set out in detail the facts supporting the application.]
___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
I say that there are reasonable grounds for believing that there is an immediate risk to the safety and welfare of the applicant. [Set out in detail the nature and extent of the immediate risk to the safety and welfare of the applicant]
___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Dated this …....day of …………………...…, 20….
Signed …………………………...………
Informant
Sworn before me this …...day of ………………...…, 20….
Signed ………………………………….
Judge of the District Court
To …………………….…… of………………………………………………………………………… , Respondent.
*Delete where inapplicable
Appendix B:
Record No. _______________
Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023, section 28(1)
INFORMATION SUPPORTING APPLICATION FOR RESTRAINING ORDER
District Court Area of District No.
Applicant: __________________________________
Address: __________________________________
Respondent: __________________________________
Address: __________________________________
On the ____ day of ____________________ 20__, I caused a summons for hearing at the District Court at __________________________ on at _____am./pm. to be issued against you the above-named respondent(s), applying for an order under section 28 of the said Act.
The following are the facts that I will be providing to the Court under oath in support of my application including the nature and extent of any risk to my safety and welfare or to the safety and welfare to any named connected person:
_________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
Dated this _____ day of __________________ 20___.
Signed: _____________________________
Applicant
To ____________________________ of ________________________________________
Respondent.
Appendix C:
Record No. ________________
Schedule C O.96C, rr.15(1), 16(1)
No. 96C.10
Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023, section 28(12)
INFORMATION SUPPORTING APPLICATION FOR INTERIM ORDER
District Court Area of District No.
.......................................................of………………………………………………………………………….………*
(in the Court District aforesaid) Applicant
......................................................of………………...……………………………………………………………… *
(in the Court District aforesaid) Respondent
The information of *the above-named applicant of ……………………………………………………...…….... *(or Garda ……………………………………. of ………………………Garda Station on behalf of the applicant by virtue of section 31 of the above-mentioned Act) who says on oath:-
On the …...day of ………………….…... 20 ...…., I caused a summons for hearing at the District Court at …………………….…… on the …... day of ………………………... 20...…; at ……. am./pm. to be issued against you the above-named respondent of ………………………………………………………., applying for an order under section 28 of the said Act for an order prohibiting you from:
*using or threatening to use violence against, molesting or putting in fear *the applicant *………………………...……...of…………………………….………., being a person connected to the applicant
*following or communicating by any means with or about *the applicant
*…………………………...…...of…………………………...…………., being a person connected to the applicant
*approaching, within such distance as the court shall specify, the place of residence, education or employment of *the applicant
*……………………………....of………………………………...……., being a person connected to the applicant
*engaging in such other forms of relevant conduct (within the meaning of section 27 of the said Act) as the Court specifies.
I now request an Interim Order against the respondent pursuant to the provisions of section 28(12) of the said Act on the grounds:- [Set out in detail the facts supporting the application.]
___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________
I say that it is necessary and proportionate to make an Interim Order for the purpose of protecting the safety and welfare of the applicant. [Set out in detail the nature and extent of the risk to the safety and welfare of the applicant]
___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________
Dated this …....day of …………………...…, 20….
Signed …………………………...………
Informant
Sworn before me this …...day of ………………...…, 20….
Signed ………………………………….
Judge of the District Court
To …………………….…… of………………………………………………………………………… , Respondent.
*Delete where inapplicable
