Vol. 415 No. 2
56 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice if he will give details of (a) the number and (b) the locations of District Court sittings throughout the country that take place in licensed premises; if he considers such practice to be in keeping with the fair administration of justice; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
There are at present seven court venues throughout the country where sittings of the District Court are held in a function room in a hotel, club or other licensed premises on a regular basis, viz. Killala, Bunbeg, Dunfanaghy, Milford, Bunclody, Causeway and Castletownbere. In a number of other venues occasional use is made of such accommodation for scheduled sittings of the District Court when the courthouse is required by the Circuit Court or High Court. Such accommodation may also be used from time to time for court sittings when a courthouse is temporarily unavailable because of repairs.
In most cases this will be the only suitable and adequate accommodation available in the District Court area concerned and its use enables court sittings to take place in that area rather than at a more distant venue. As the Deputy will appreciate, it would be quite impracticable, particularly in times of financial stringency, to provide purpose-built courthouses in locations where they would not be used for more then four or five hours per month.
In the circumstances I see nothing inherently objectionable about the comfortable facilities of a modern function room being availed of just because it happens to be part of a hotel, club or other licensed premises.
