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Carndonagh Courthouse reopens
18.11.10
"Justice must be
delivered locally" – Judge Hughes
by Linda McGrory
INISHOWEN'S judge has hit out at the closure of
rural courthouses throughout Ireland over the last
decade saying it diminishes respect for law and
order.
Judge Seamus Hughes made his comments as he welcomed
the reopening of Carndonagh Courthouse on Tuesday
after a campaign of lobbying spearheaded by the
local community and solicitors including Philip
White.
The building was closed in May 2008 for a major
facelift but as the country fell deeper into
recession and work did not start, it was feared the
courthouse would remain permanently closed.
However, the community in Carndonagh, fed-up with
broken promises, rallied together and won the
reopening of their local centre of justice, albeit
with only minor refurbishments.
Before Tuesday's legal proceedings began, Judge
Hughes, who was presiding in Carndonagh for the
first time, addressed the court. He said he was
delighted that the Courts Service of Ireland had
listened to local representations to reopen the
building. |
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Carndonagh Courthouse. |
"A large number of
rural courthouses have closed in the past decade
removing the administration of justice for many
parts of the country, and, under the guise of
increased efficiencies, better equipped courthouses
and a myriad of other reasons centralised
courthouses to larger centres of population," said
Judge Hughes.
"The removal of the local courthouse from a town has
a direct effect on the business and socio-economic
life of a region. Justice, furthermore, is not seen
to be done in the
immediate catchment area - in this instance North
Inishowen."
The Westport-born judge said court participants
including witnesses, gardai and solicitors were
forced to travel longer distances due to the closure
of the courthouse.
"Particularly, the closure of Carndonagh
necessitated legal practitioners from this town and
the public they served, having to travel either to
Buncrana or Letterkenny," he added.
"I'm pleased and grateful to the Courts Service that
the representations they received to reopen this
courtroom did not fall on deaf ears.
"Not a very large sum of public funds required to be
spent to make this a functional court facility for
the nature and volume of work it is and was
originally designed to serve.
"I know the legal profession and local community are
pleased to see it reopened and their efforts are
also to be recognised for the campaign they
persisted in to see this day arrive," added Judge
Hughes.
The improvements to the courthouse, while barely
visible, include painting and decorating, the
addition of a disabled-access lavatory and the
refurbishment of the consultation room.
Unfortunately, without the introduction of a PA
sound system, the acoustics within the old courtroom
remain poor.
Solicitor Philip White welcomed Judge Hughes to
Carndonagh on behalf of his local solicitor
colleagues.
"The Carndonagh community who have lobbied long and
hard for the reopening are heartened to see its
doors reopened," said Mr White. "It is a fine
courthouse which has been in existence since the
setting up of the State." Speaking afterwards, Mr
White said he wholeheartedly agreed with Judge
Hughes' sentiments that justice had to be seen to be
done in the immediate locality. He said the
reopening of the historic building was a very
welcome boost to the town. |
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