THE COURTS Service has approved the closure of over 30 courts in peripheral areas along the western seaboard and in the midlands and south of the country.
In the second phase of the first major revision of District Court areas for over 40 years, the board of the Courts Service has approved the closure of courts in 12 counties: Clare, Galway, Roscommon, Longford, Westmeath, Tipperary, Offaly, Mayo, Sligo, Donegal, Leitrim and Laois.
The regional western manager for the Courts Service, Brendan McDonald said: “The re-organisation of the sittings of the District Court will enable the Courts Service to use its resources in a more productive manner. Our aim is to ensure that the court users are able to conduct their business in a cost-effective, dignified and timely manner.”
Mr McDonald confirmed that 28 outlying courts in 10 of the counties are to be amalgamated with larger courts.
The reorganisation of the courts will begin in January.
Six courts will be closed in Co Mayo: Ballycroy, Ballinrobe, Ballyhaunis, Foxford, Ballycastle and Charlestown. These courts are to be amalgamated with courts in Claremorris, Achill, Westport, Swinford and Tubbercurry.
Fine Gael TD Michael Ring labelled the move by the Courts Service to close the six courts in Co Mayo as “a disgrace”.
“The Government policy has been decentralisation, but this is bringing services further away from rural people,” he said. “These are decisions made by the Courts Service, who are elected by no one. They show no understanding for the needs of rural people.”
In carrying out the review of the court venues, the Courts Service says it took into account sittings, workloads and the venues themselves at each court.
In Co Clare, five courts are to be closed in Kilkee, Miltown Malbay, Lisdoonvarna, Tulla and Scarriff. These are to be amalgamated to Kilrush, Ennistymon and Killaloe.
The Courts Service has decided that courts in Co Galway at Dunmore, Glenamaddy, Oughterard, Headford, Carna and Kinvara will be closed and amalgamated with courts in Tuam, Clifden, Spiddal, Galway, Derrynea and Gort/Ennistymon.
Sittings in Co Tipperary at Cahir and Killenaule will be amalgamated with the court sittings in Clonmel and Cashel, while in Co Waterford, court sittings at Cappoquin and Tallow will be amalgamated with courts in Lismore and Fermoy.
Courts in Granard will transfer to Longford, while courts at Castlepollard and Kilucan will transfer to Mullingar in Co Westmeath. In Co Offaly, lists for the Kilcormac court are to be heard in future at Tullamore and Birr.
