The Courts Service of Ireland commenced an ambitious Modernisation Programme in 2020 to simplify access to the Irish courts system. Deloitte has been a key partner on this journey from day one, helping the Courts Service take a ’service design’ approach to reimagining services, day-to-day work processes, and the information they provider to the benefit of the user.
“Over the past four years, Deloitte has worked side-by-side with the Courts Service to redesign their services and simplify ways of working. It’s been an amazing opportunity to support a critical service provider improve how they work and how they serve our community,” explains Oliver Furness, who leads the Deloitte team supporting the Courts Service’s Modernisation Programme.
One area where the Courts Service and Deloitte have made a tangible impact for users is Family Law: “Our team has introduced a range of tools and approaches to support the Courts Service to take a user-centric approach to transforming services across Family Law, this has helped the Courts Service re-think how they support and interact with people going through often stressful life events such as divorce. Over the past 12-18 months the Courts Service has enhanced how they provide information to Family Law users — together we have developed a new information for the online hub and are well progressed on piloting simpler, easier-to-understand court application forms.”
Brian O’Connor, who leads Deloitte’s work on Family Law Reform, points out that “anyone who wants to bring a matter before the court, must first find out what their options are, how they’re going to navigate the system, and then how they’re going to apply. The new Family Law information now provides users with information in plain language about all areas of family law, the various application types, support services available, and how to apply. User feedback has shown that these improvements are making information more accessible, and users feel better supported because of it.”
The team are also collaborating with the Courts Service to streamline the application process. O’Connor explained that “there are currently about 40 different forms that can be used for applications in relation to domestic violence, maintenance and arrangements for children, and that is just in the District Court. People engaging in the process often find it very difficult to find the correct form for their situation. When they do, the design and layout of the forms is cumbersome and hard to navigate, not to mention the complex legalese in which they are written.”
The team are looking at a new design and approach to reduce the number to just nine simplified forms which also allow for multiple applications using just one. “The impact isn’t just measured in terms of the reduction in the number of forms, the new plain language that we use throughout also improves the user experience during what can be a stressful time. The modernised forms also mean staff will need to spend less time sorting through user queries.”
The new forms are being piloted in Dublin and in Cork. “The feedback from judges and from advocacy groups is that this is going to be a welcome change, and we look forward to the full rollout over the coming months.”
The implementation of simplified, user-friendly forms is already enhancing user experience. Transforming how users navigate to and apply for services is a critical enabler for a modern digitally enabled public service. The work of the Family Law team is a great example of how Deloitte can work side-by-side with the public sector to enhance services and build the capabilities of our Irish public service providers.
