asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware that notwithstanding the ample accommodation provided in the newly-constructed Courthouse in Midleton, East Cork, the Circuit Judge has refused to sit there, despite several applications in this respect from the U.D.C. of Midleton; that this decision creates an undue hardship on jurors and litigants who are compelled to travel to Cork to discharge their duties; if he can explain why the jurors of the district were summoned to attend at Midleton for the forthcoming Circuit Court, but were secondly summoned to attend at Cork for that sitting, and further, will the Minister insist that any future sittings of this Court will be held in Midleton, where every accommodation has been provided at considerable expense to the ratepayers.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - MIDLETON COURTHOUSE.
I am not aware of any of the facts stated in the Deputy's question, of which I received notice only yesterday. I am, however, causing inquiries to be made in the various matters referred to therein, and will communicate the result of my inquiries to the Deputy in due course, or will reply to his question in the House if he repeats it on some future date.
I should perhaps add that the places at which the Circuit Court will sit in each county will be prescribed by the Rules of the Circuit Court, and that in the draft Rules, which the Committee appointed in pursuance of Section 65 of the Courts of Justice Act, 1924, have presented to me, it is not proposed that the town of Midleton should be so prescribed.