asked the Minister for Justice whether he has yet reached a decision on the petition presented to him by the inhabitants of West Wicklow, urging that arrangements should be made to hold sittings of the Circuit Court in Baltinglass, and, if so, whether he is in a position to state when it will be possible for the Judge to sit in Baltinglass.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sittings of Circuit Court.
I have carefully considered the proposal that sittings of the Circuit Court should be held in Baltinglass, and I have had an opportunity of consulting the Judge of the Eastern Circuit. In the result I have reached the conclusion that effect should be given to the wishes of the inhabitants of West Wicklow; but, as the Circuit Court calendar for the current year has already been fixed, the Court will not actually sit in Baltinglass until next year. In the meantime, however, I propose to make an Order under the Juries Act, 1927, dividing the County of Wicklow into two jury districts, the effect of which will be to relieve West Wicklow jurors from attendance at the Court at Wicklow town for either civil or criminal business. The proposed Order will not effect the preparation of the panel of jurors for the forthcoming sittings of the Circuit Court at Wicklow town which have been fixed for the 14th proximo, but these sittings will be the last occasion upon which the inhabitants of West Wicklow will be put to the inconvenience of having to travel to Wicklow town to attend Court for jury service.