Bernard J. Durkan
Question:38 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice if she will take direct responsibility for the repair and maintenance of courthouses; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Repair and Maintenance of Courthouses.
The Government decision of March 1990, that local authorities should be relieved of the financial burden of providing and maintaining courthouses, was a decision in principle only. The intention was to introduce arrangements whereby the State would bear the full cost of approved courthouses capital projects and recoup local authorities at least part of the running costs of the courthouses they provide. To date, however, due to pressure on public finances only a very limited number of capital projects have been financed from State funds and it has not been possible to recoup any part of local authority expenditure on courthouse running costs.
Progress, therefore, has not been as rapid as I would like it to be but I am confident that over the next few years substantial improvements in the standard of court accommodation throughout the country will be achieved.