Dear Mr McCloy,

SUBJECT: Freedom of Information Request

Thank you for your request for information in which you seek:-

     (a) How many individuals have been taken to court by your authority

     in-order to gag them. To stop them from speaking out about the

     injustices they have suffered at the hands of the DHSSPS / social

     services and secret family courts. Provide all records to-date that

     are held.

     (b) How much did these gagging order injunctions cost the rate

     payer.

     (c) Who is responsible for actioning these enforcement orders by

     the courts, i.e. who signs the applications for court.

     (d) How many parents /relatives/individuals have received further

     sanctions for breaking these gagging orders.

     (e) Are any of these decisions to gag/sanction taken by unelected

     local authority officers responsible for children's social care,

     finance, legal or any other relevant department.''

Your request was received on 2^nd February and has been handled under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI).

In order to assist you and aid your understanding it might be best if I provide you with an explanation of our function.

The role of the Northern Ireland Court Service is to:-

As the Lord Chancellor's department in Northern Ireland carrying out the functions outlined, the Court Service plays no part in bringing individuals to court for any purpose.

In respect of (a) above I can confirm that no individuals were brought to court by or on our behalf and that no such records are held.

In respect of (b) to (e) inclusive I have contacted staff at the Family Division at the Royal Courts of Justice and the Laganside Family Team. I have been informed that although there is no way to identify such an injunction on the Integrated Court Operations System (ICOS), staff in both the Family Division and Laganside Family Team are not aware of the existence of any such injunctions, orders or sanctions.

If you are dissatisfied with this response you may ask the Court Service to conduct an internal review in relation to your request. A request for an internal review should be addressed to: Patricia Quinn, Information Access Team, Information Centre, Laganside House, 23 -25 Oxford Street, Belfast, BT1 3LA.  If following the internal review you remain dissatisfied with the Court Service's treatment of your request then you are entitled to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner.  The Information Commissioner's address is Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

If you have any queries about your request please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Yours sincerely

Glynis Crawford

Communications Group