(S.I. 490 of 2021)

1. If the plaintiff, being bound to deliver a statement of claim, does not deliver the same within the time allowed for that purpose, the defendant may, subject to the provisions of rule 2, at the expiration of that time, apply to the Court to dismiss the action, with costs, for want of prosecution; and on the hearing of such application, the Court shall, where it is satisfied that the plaintiff has been served with notice of the application order the action to be dismissed accordingly, unless the Court is satisfied, for reasons to be recited in the order, that it is necessary in the interests of justice that the time for delivery of the statement of claim should be extended and, where it is so satisfied, the Court shall make an order:

(a) extending the time for delivery of a statement of claim for such period as the Court considers necessary in all of the circumstances, and

(b) providing that, unless the statement of claim is delivered and a copy of such statement of claim is filed in the Central Office within that extended period, the action shall stand dismissed without any further application to the Court and the proper officer may on request at any time thereafter certify such dismissal in writing.

2.(1) No notice of motion to dismiss the action for want of prosecution in actions claiming unliquidated damages in tort or contract may be served, unless the defendant has at least 28 days prior to the service of such notice, written to the plaintiff giving him notice of his intention to serve a notice of motion to dismiss the plaintiff’s claim and at the same time consenting to the late delivery of statement of claim within 28 days of the date of the letter.

(2) If no statement of claim is delivered within the said period the defendant shall be at liberty to serve a notice of motion to dismiss the action, with costs, for want of prosecution.

(3) The notice of motion shall be served on the plaintiff not later than ten days from the date on which it was issued, together with a letter specifically drawing the defendant’s attention to the provisions of sub-rule (4). 

(4) If the plaintiff:

(a) delivers a statement of claim to the defendant not later than 21 days after the service of such notice of motion to dismiss for want of prosecution, and

(b) lodges a copy of the statement of claim in the Central Office with a certified copy of the notice of motion attached thereto not later than ten days before the return date, the said motion to dismiss shall not be put in the judges’ list but shall stand struck out and the plaintiff shall pay to the defendant the sum of €750 for his costs of the said motion to dismiss.

3. Subject to the provisions of rules 16 and 17, if the plaintiff’s claim be only for a debt or liquidated demand, or for the recovery of land, or for the delivery of specific goods, and the defendant does not within the time allowed for that purpose deliver a defence, the plaintiff may at the expiration of such time enter final judgment in the Central Office for the amount of such debt or liquidated demand, or that the person whose title is asserted in the statement of claim shall recover possession of the land, or for the delivery of the specific goods without giving the defendant the option of retaining such goods upon paying the value thereof, as the case may be, with costs.

4. If the plaintiff’s claim be for a debt or liquidated demand, or for the recovery of land, or for the delivery of specific goods, and also for pecuniary damages or any other relief, and the defendant does not within the time allowed for that purpose deliver a defence, the plaintiff may enter final judgment as in rule 3 provided and may also apply as in rule 9 provided in respect of the said claim for pecuniary damages or other relief.

5. When in any such action as in rules 3 and 4 mentioned there are several defendants, if one of them make default as mentioned in the said rules, the plaintiff may enter final judgment against the defendant so making default, and issue execution upon such judgment without prejudice to his right to proceed with his action against the other defendants or against the said defendant under rule 4.

6. If the action be for recovery of land for non-payment of rent, no judgment shall be entered under this Order until an affidavit has been filed, made by the landlord, his agent, receiver, or clerk, stating that there was, at the commencement of the action, at last one year's rent due above all just and fair allowances.

7. In an action for the recovery of a holding or of lands including a holding agricultural or pastoral, or partly agricultural and partly pastoral, in its character, for non-payment of rent no judgment shall be entered under this Order until an affidavit has been filed made by the landlord, his agent, receiver, or clerk, verifying the special indorsement on the summons.  Such affidavit may be in the Form No 6 in Appendix A, Part 1.

8. In probate actions, if any defendant make default in delivering a defence, the action may proceed, notwithstanding such default.

9.(1) In all actions other than those in the preceding rules of this Order mentioned, if a defendant being bound to deliver a defence, does not do so within the time allowed, the plaintiff may, subject to the provisions of rule 10, set down the action on motion for judgment; and on the hearing of such application the Court shall, where it is satisfied that the defendant has been served with notice of the application, give to the plaintiff such judgment for such specific relief claimed in the statement of claim to which it considers the plaintiff to be entitled, unless the Court is satisfied, for reasons to be recited in the order, that that it is necessary in the interests of justice that the time for delivery of the defence should be extended, in which case the provisions of sub-rule (2) will apply.

(2) Where the Court is satisfied to extend the time for delivery of the defence under sub-rule (1), the Court shall, to the extent possible, determine the specific relief claimed in the statement of claim to which it considers the plaintiff to be entitled in the event of the failure of the defendant to deliver a defence, and shall make an order:

(a) extending the time for delivery of a defence for such period as the Court considers necessary in all of the circumstances and directing the filing of a copy of the defence within that period in the Central Office, and

(b) further providing that, in the event that the defendant fails to deliver and file the defence within that period, the plaintiff shall have liberty to enter judgment (without further order) for the specific relief claimed in the statement of claim to which the Court has found the plaintiff to be entitled as aforesaid.

(3) In any case in which it considers it necessary to do so in order fully to specify the relief to which the plaintiff is entitled under sub-rule (1) or sub-rule (2), the Court may:

(a) direct the holding of any necessary accounts or enquiries or the taking of any other steps which it considers necessary to define more precisely the scope of the judgment to which it considers the plaintiff to be entitled;

(b) direct the assessment of any damages to which the plaintiff may be entitled, to be ascertained by a Judge and a jury, in case any party requires and is entitled to one, but otherwise without a jury, and, if without a jury, either by a Judge or by the Master or by the Examiner, as the Judge may direct, on evidence by affidavit or otherwise.

10.(1)  No notice of motion for judgment in default of defence in actions claiming unliquidated damages in tort or contract may be served, unless the plaintiff has at least 28 days prior to the service of such notice, written to the defendant giving him notice of his intention to serve a notice of motion for judgment and at the same time consenting to the late delivery of defence within 28 days of the date of the letter.

(2) If no defence is delivered within the said period the plaintiff shall be at liberty to serve a notice of motion for judgment in default of defence. 

(3) The notice of motion shall be served on the defendant not later than ten days from the date on which it was issued, together with a letter specifically drawing the defendant’s attention to the provisions of sub-rule (4). 

(4) If the defendant:

(a) delivers a defence to the plaintiff not later than 21 days after the service of such notice of motion for judgment, and

(b) lodges a copy of the defence in the Central Office with a certified copy of the notice of motion attached thereto not later than ten days before the return date,

the said motion for judgment shall not be put in the judges’ list but shall stand struck out and the defendant shall pay to the plaintiff the sum of €750 for his costs of the said motion for judgment.

11. Where, in any such action as mentioned in rule 9, there are several defendants, then, if one of such defendants make such default as aforesaid, the plaintiff may either (if the cause of action is severable) set down the action at once on motion for judgment against the defendant so making default, or may set it down against him at the time when it is entered for trial or set down on motion for judgment against the other defendants.

12. If the plaintiff does not deliver a reply, or any party does not deliver any subsequent pleading, within the period allowed for that purpose, the pleadings shall be deemed to be closed at the expiration of that period, and all the material statements of fact in the pleading last delivered shall be deemed to have been denied and put in issue.

13.  In any case in which issues arise in an action other than between plaintiff and defendant, if any party to any such issue makes default in delivering any pleading, the opposite party may apply to the Court for such judgment, if any, as upon the pleadings he may appear to be entitled to, and the Court may order judgment to be entered accordingly, or may make such other order as may be necessary to do complete justice between the parties.

14. Before judgment by default shall be entered for any debt or liquidated demand under this Order, an affidavit shall be filed specifying the sum then actually due.

15.(1)  Any order dismissing the plaintiff’s action for want of prosecution, whether under this Order or any other Order of these Rules, may be set aside by the Court upon such terms as to costs or otherwise as the Court may think fit, if the Court is satisfied that at the time of the failure special circumstances (to be recited in the order) existed which explain and justify the failure.

(2) Any judgment by default, whether under this Order or any other Order of these Rules, may be set aside by the Court upon such terms as to costs or otherwise as the Court may think fit, if the Court is satisfied that at the time of the default special circumstances (to be recited in the order) existed which explain and justify the failure, and any necessary consequential order may be made where an action has been set down under rule 9.

16. In proceedings brought by a moneylender or the assignee or legal personal representative of a moneylender for the recovery of money lent by the moneylender or any interest thereon, judgment in default of defence shall not be entered until after the expiration of 12 months from the date of issue of the summons by which the proceedings were instituted unless the leave of the Court shall have been first obtained.  An application for such leave may be made by motion on notice served not less than four clear days before the hearing; and the provisions of Order 13, rule 16(2) and (3) shall apply to such application.

17. In actions to recover a debt or liquidated demand arising under a hire-purchase agreement or credit-sale agreement (as defined by the Consumer Credit Act 1995) or any contract of guarantee relating to such an agreement, judgment in default of defence shall not be entered until after the expiration of 12 months from the date of issue of the summons by which the proceedings were instituted unless the leave of the Court shall have been first obtained.  An application for such leave may be made by motion on notice served, not less than four clear days before the hearing, personally or by registered post addressed to the defendant at his last known address; and judgment shall not be entered until an affidavit shall have been filed stating that the requirements specified in section 32 or (as the case may be) section 58 of the Consumer Credit Act 1995 have been complied with.

18.(1) The plaintiff shall notify the defendant in writing within 28 days from the date any judgment is entered in the Central Office in accordance with this Order.

(2) The plaintiff shall serve on the defendant a copy of any order of the Court granting judgment in default of defence within 28 days from the passing and perfection of such order.

(3) The defendant shall notify the plaintiff in writing within 28 days from the date on which any action first stands dismissed pursuant to an order made in accordance with rule 1.

(4) The defendant shall serve on the plaintiff a copy of any order of the Court dismissing an action for want of prosecution within 28 days from the passing and perfection of such order.”

Order 27 Rule 9 was substituted by S.I. 454 of 2022
Order 27 Rule 15(2) was substituted by S.I. 454 of 2022