Alan Kelly
Ceist:947. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice when the courthouse in Wicklow town (details supplied) will reopen; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22069/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 8 September 2020
Ceisteanna (947)
Freagraí scríofa
Under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, 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 enquiries made and the Courts Service has provided the following update on this matter.
A number of projects in relation to Courts Service accommodation requirements are outlined in the Government's National Development Plan 2018 - 2027. They include:
1. Provision of further new or refurbished courthouses in provincial cities and county towns where facilities remain sub-standard (including Galway city, Wicklow town, Portlaoise, Tralee and Roscommon) and further provincial locations such as An Clochán Liath (Dungloe) to serve as the Gaeltacht Court for the region, and Tuam.
2. Family Law Court complex at Hammond Lane.
3. Redevelopment and modernisation of the Four Courts following completion of the Hammond Lane project as a campus for Civil courts.
4. Construction of standard county town type court facilities at a number of locations in county Dublin (outside of the city centre) and also in North Kildare, Bray and Navan.
5. Regional Family Law centres.
The precise allocation and timing of additional funding 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. Specifically in relation to Wicklow, a courthouse comprising four courtrooms and related facilities (e.g. consultation rooms, custody facilities, facilities for juries and vulnerable witnesses, legal practitioner’s suites etc) is envisaged as being required to meet current and future demand in Wicklow. This will require a building significantly larger than the existing two courtroom building. The Courts Service proposes to refurbish and extend the courthouse to provide the required accommodation. As a prerequisite first step, the Courts Service has acquired a number of adjoining properties that were in council ownership so as to have available a larger site capable of accommodating a courthouse building on the scale envisaged.
Facilitating works envisaged for the refurbishment and extension of Wicklow courthouse include the demolition of the 1940s extension/annex to the rear of the courthouse. In view of the fact that dry rot has spread extensively throughout the extension, the Courts Service proposes to bring this element of the facilitating works forward rather than incur the cost of treating the dry rot only to demolish the extension at a later date as part of the overall development. It will be necessary to go through the Part IX planning process in advance of this work. The Courts Service has been in contact with the State Architect about these works and it is intended that they will proceed subject to funding being available and OPW resource availability in light of commitments in other areas.