Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 January 2019
245. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the capital funding allocated between January 2019 and 2024 for the refurbishment of existing courthouses or the construction of new courthouses; the amount of this money which has already been allocated; the process by which courthouses are assessed for investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2622/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions.
However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had inquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that, at present, the Courts Service has a capital buildings allocation of €4.88m per annum with an extra €10m in funding being provided in 2020. The annual unitary charge payments will also continue in respect of the recently completed Courts Public Private Partnership Bundle, which delivered newly constructed or extended/refurbished courthouses at Drogheda, Letterkenny, Wexford, Limerick, Waterford, Cork and Mullingar (€14.7m per annum) and the Criminal Courts of Justice building (€22.9m per annum).
The Deputy will also be aware that the Government's National Development Plan 2018 -2027 includes a number of courthouse projects to be completed during the period of the plan. These projects include:
- A major Family Law and Children's Court Complex on a site adjacent to the Four Courts at Hammond Lane in Dublin;
- Further new or refurbished courthouses in regional cities and county towns where facilities remain substandard (including Galway City, Wicklow Town, Portlaoise, Tralee and Roscommon) and further provincial locations such as Dungloe and Tuam;
- Construction of standard county town type court facilities at a number of locations in County Dublin and also in North Kildare, Bray and Navan;
- A nationwide condition survey of all court buildings in the estate will be undertaken to determine their condition and identify works required in relation to any issues identified and meet ongoing maintenance requirements.
With regard to the Hammond Lane project there continues to be on-going discussions with the Courts Service in regard to a number of issues including aspects of the funding proposal. The project will also require sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform before it can proceed.
The precise allocation and timing of additional funding for the remaining projects to be completed over the entire ten year period of the plan remains to be fully determined. It will be dependent on the outcome of further detailed planning and analysis of costs which will determine prioritisation of projects from a timing and budgetary perspective.
The Courts Service has also informed me that the Courts Service Building Committee, which is a subcommittee of the Courts Service Board, determines which projects are prioritised for capital investment. At present, the Courts Service is prioritising the provision of modern facilities in those remaining regional city and county town locations where new or extended/refurbished courthouses have not been provided in recent times and the current priority locations are Galway City, Wicklow Town, Portlaoise, Tralee and Roscommon.
