COIMISIÚN UM ATHCHÓIRIÚ AN DLÍ PREASRÁITEAS
LAW REFORM COMMISSION PRESS RELEASE
Law Reform Commission Seeks First-Hand Views about Non-Court Decision-Making in Ireland
Decisions made by bodies like the Workplace Relations Commission or Residential Tenancies Board can have a significant impact on someone’s life. The Law Reform Commission has launched a survey, available in English and as Gaeilge, to gather first-hand accounts from people who have had decisions made by non-court adjudicative bodies and the adjudicators making decisions within those bodies.
Many important decisions are made by bodies outside of the courts. For everyone involved, it is important that the procedures used are fair, clear, and suited to robust decision-making. Where decisions can be appealed to the courts, those procedures should also be fair, clear and consistent. The Commission wishes to gather evidence about how non-court decision-making works in practice and how to support fair, effective and independent decision-making.
In December 2025, the Law Reform Commission published its Consultation Paper on the Reform of Non-Court Adjudicative Bodies and Appeals to Courts. The Paper examines whether the procedures used by these bodies, and the routes for appealing their decisions, could be made clearer and more consistent. It also considers where existing arrangements work well and where change may be needed while respecting the different functions and expertise of individual bodies.
Mr Justice Frank Clarke, President of the Law Reform Commission said "We want to hear directly from people who have used these decision-making processes and from the adjudicators who operate them. Their experiences will be vital in helping us identify what is effective and where improvements may be needed.”
Survey findings will be considered alongside written submissions, consultation events and the Commission’s legal research in preparing its final report and recommendations. You can find links to the survey here in English: and in Irish.