The State's first arbitration centre, designed to attract an international market for resolving commercial disputes without going to court, will be officially opened today in Dublin.
The centre, based in the latest extension to the Law Library on the old Distillery Site in Church Street, was built and is operated by the Bar Council.
The first cases are expected to be heard in March or April and up to 20 disputes may be heard at a time. Arbitrators will be drawn from any profession, for example the arbitrator could be an engineer if the dispute concerned engineering.
Chairman of the Bar Council arbitration committee Mr Pat Hanratty SC said that internationally there had been a trend towards arbitration rather than going to court.
"The Bar Council saw the need to expand the range of options," he said.
The type of cases that would come before the arbitrators would be mainly disputes over contracts and agreements in commercial ventures, for example banking, building, trades and technology.
"The parties will be represented by lawyers but it will be more informal than the courts and faster and cheaper," Mr Hanratty said. The International Chamber of Commerce in Paris provided a framework of rules for international arbitration and it nominated venues.
"As well as the domestic market we hope to attract the international market. English is the international language of arbitration so we are at an advantage and the tradition of neutrality we hope will make Ireland more attractive than Britain," Mr Hanratty said.
The centre has technology which will provide video-conferencing, e-mail and Internet access with simultaneous translation facilities for two languages.
Mr Hanratty said the process allowed parties to choose their own adjudicator and location. It was a more private, relatively flexible method for the resolution of disputes.
The Bar Council wants to ensure that the State has 2 per cent of the international arbitration market by the end of 1998, rising to 3.5 per cent after three years.
The official opening coincides with the introduction of the new Arbitration (International Commercial) Bill 1997 which is at its second stage in the Dail.
Mr Hanratty said that with the passing of the Bill, which incorporates the UN model law on arbitration into Irish law, the necessary legislative framework would exist here to attract international commercial arbitrations.
The centre will open this evening with an international conference entitled "Ireland: A Centre for International Arbitration in the 21st Century".