Vol. 509 No. 6
521 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position in relation to reinstating the District Court sittings in Moville, County Donegal; and the plans, if any, he has in this regard. [21176/99]
The new courts service which will be established on 9 November 1999 will have responsibility for future planning and provision of court accommodation throughout the State. I am aware that the chief executive designate and his staff are already examining the capital requirements that will be required over the next five to seven years to bring court accommodation up to a modern acceptable level.
I am further aware that the chief executive designate has had discussions with the local District Judge and the county manager in Donegal with a view of identifying the most urgent priorities for inclusion in that programme in County Donegal. As the Deputy is aware there are already court sittings in Carndonagh and Buncrana within the lnisowen peninsula. Immediate priorities in Donegal will be the provision of new purpose designed court accommodation in Ballyshannon, Glenties, Killybegs and Falcarragh. In addition, the District Court in Buncrana is currently being refurbished and facilities in Carndonagh courthouse will be addressed subsequently.
The position in relation to other venues will be considered by the courts service board when the immediate and most urgent priorities have been addressed. These will be to ensure that there is a reasonable spread of courthouses and facilities for the District Court in particular, which are accessible by the public and practitioners within a reasonable distance from their homes.
