asked the Minister for Justice if he will make a statement on the suitability of accommodation for the High Court, Circuit Court and District Court in Cork, Tralee, Limerick and Ennis.
357.
Written Answers. - Courtroom Accommodation.
356.
asked the Minister for Justice the extent to which courthouses in Cork, Tralee, Limerick and Ennis are used other than by courts and by staff related to the operation of the courts.
358.
asked the Minister for Justice the number of days within the legal year during which the courtrooms in the following venues are not used for court purposes: Cork, Tralee, Limerick and Ennis.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to answer Questions Nos. 356, 357 and 358 together.
I am not aware of any suggestion that the accommodation at the venues in question is unsuitable for the High, Circuit or District Courts. The extent to which courtrooms are used varies from year to year depending on the volume of business to be transacted. The following information relates to the year ended 31 July 1981, except in the case of Tralee where the courts only returned to the newly restored courthouse in September 1981 after an absence of nine years.
Cork courthouse has four courtrooms, two of which have jury rooms attached. The High Court sat there during 1980-81 on 55 days, the Circuit Court on 163 days and the District Court on 235 days. On 91 of the 235 days there were, in fact, two simultaneous sittings of the District Court. In addition the facilities were used on a total of 83 days for a variety of other purposes such as income tax appeals, inquests and employment appeals tribunal hearings. As well as the courts offices the building also houses a Garda records office, the offices of the city and county sheriffs, a law library and the Cork Archives Council.
In Limerick courthouse, which has two courtrooms, each with a jury room attached, the High Court sat on 19 days, the Circuit Court on 50 days and the District Court on 153 days. The premises were also used on 38 other days for such purposes as income tax appeals, inquests, hearings of the employment appeals tribunal and meetings of Limerick Corporation. No part of the courthouse accommodation is allocated for non court-related purposes.
There are two courtrooms in Ennis courthouse, one of which has a jury room attached to it. During 1980-81 the High Court sat there on five days, the Circuit Court on 39 days and the District Court on 47 days. The courtroom facilities were used on 16 other days for purposes such as Land Commission hearings, employment appeals tribunal hearings and inquests. The courthouse is also used as its headquarters by Clare County Council which occupies for its own purposes all available accommodation not specifically allocated for court or court office use.
The newly restored courthouse in Tralee has two courtrooms, one of which has a jury room attached. The High Court has sat there only one day since the premises were opened in September last but it is expected to sit there again in October next. The Circuit Court has sat there on 13 days so far in the current legal year and is expected to sit on a further 16 days before the end of July next. The District Court has sat there on 20 days to date. The facilities have not been used so far for non-court purposes but one day in May next has been allocated for income tax appeals. None of the accommodation in the courthouse has been allocated for non court-related purposes.