The Courts Service has played down suggestions that it plans to close five district court offices around the country and transfer almost 20 staff to other offices as part of a restructuring move.
District court office staff are concerned that district court offices at Mallow in Co Cork, Listowel in Co Kerry, Thurles in Co Tipperary, Tuam in Co Galway and Ballina in Co Mayo would all be closed in the restructuring.
It is understood that the proposal would involve Mallow staff transferring to Fermoy District Court Office, Listowel staff transferring to Tralee District Court Office and Thurles staff transferring to Nenagh District Court Office with Ballina and Tuam staff also moving.
However, a spokesman for the Court Services said that no decision had been taken to date to close any district court office and the service was simply involved in consultation with staff with a view to implementing Government policy on more flexible work practices.
"The Courts Service is committed in its action plans under 'Sustaining Progress' and 'Towards 2016' to a review of office structures with a view to implementing all the family friendly policies in terms of flexible work practices agreed by the Government and the social partners."
According to the Courts Service spokesman, the review will involve looking at the difficulties faced by offices with one, two or three staff in providing a continuous quality of service when annual holidays and sick leave have to be covered.
The spokesman stressed that the review was of district court offices and that it did not include any proposals to move district court or circuit court sittings from any of the offices being looked at.
However, Cork East Labour TD, Seán Sherlock warned that closure of the Mallow District Court Office would be a serious undermining of the court services available in Mallow and he cautioned against any such move by the Courts Service.
"It will have consequences for family law payments and other such payments, and I don't think it's right that people would have to travel to Fermoy or other towns to make those payments," Mr Sherlock said.
