Seanad Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Nov 1993

Vol. 138 No. 8

Adjournment Matters. - Longford Courthouse.

Mr. Belton

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Browne to the House. I am glad of the opportunity to raise this matter.

This is a prominent building in the centre of Longford town. It is used as a courthouse and as the County Registrar's Office. It formally housed the county council chamber. Since the county council has moved to a new building that part of the building will be available if and when Longford courthouse is refurbished. There was and is anxiety about the future of the building and it was suggested that a new courthouse might be built. However, this matter was debated at length by Longford County Council and the majority of councillors favoured the refurbishment of the existing building.

Since then events have moved slowly and that is why I raise this matter this evening. I bring this to the attention of the Minister for Justice because it is a matter of urgency and concern. This building should be retained as a courthouse. I do not have to point out the number of courthouses throughout the midlands which have been successfully refurbished. The Cathaoirleach will know the courthouse in his town has been refurbished. Longford should not be an exception. An action committee has been formed and 5,000 signatures have been gathered.

I ask the Minister to ensure the Department of Justice discusses this matter with officials from Longford County Council and to make a decision in this regard. A prominent firm of architects and town planners, Shaffrey's, has prepared a report for the action committee. They are enthusiastic because they believe the building can retained.

Again, I think the Minister for coming to the House.

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment (Mr. Browne,

Wexford): I thank Senator Belton for raising this issue. At the outset, I should inform the House that section 3 of the Courthouses (Provision and Maintenance) Act, 1935, provides that “every Council shall provide and maintain in the functional area of such council such courthouse accommodation as required for the sittings of the Courts”, in other words, responsibility for the condition of the courthouse legally rests with Longford County Council.

At present there are in excess of two dozen major courthouse repair projects competing for limited funds. A departmental review has been carried out to identify all court accommodation in need of work to ensure that the major task of refurbishing or renovating courthouses can be tackled as quickly and effectively as resources allow.

At the start of the year the Department of Justice contacted Longford County Council to express concern about the condition of the courthouse and to seek alternative accommodation for court staff. In September Longford County Council requested that the Department make adequate funding available to the council to carry out all necessary repairs and renovations to the courthouse. Because of limited funds available for courthouse capital projects, priorities had to be set and the allocation for this year was already fully committed to works at Cork, Galway, Clonmel and Athlone.

I am aware that the existing courthouse accommodation in Longford is in a poor state of repair. On Wednesday last the Department of Justice received correspondence, including a series of reports from the Longford county manager. These reports are under examination at present and no decisions can be taken until all the reports have been fully considered and until the Estimates for 1994 have been finalised.