APPLICATIONS FOR DOMESTIC violence protection orders have increased by 25% over the past five years, according to the Courts Service annual report.
The temporary safety orders give protection to the applicant until the court decides on a safety or barring order application.
It is intended to last until the case is heard and decided on, and does not oblige the respondent, or the person the order is being taken against, to leave the family home.
There were 25,570 applications to the District Court under domestic violence legislation in 2023, an increase of almost 2,000 applications on the previous year and up from 20,501 in 2019.
2,975 safety orders were granted last year from 9,913 applications, which compares to 3,316 safety orders granted from 6,069 applications in 2016.
The report also said there were 779 asylum judicial review cases lodged with the High Court last year – a more than doubling …