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Fears Carn Court may stay locked
up
21.05.09
by Liam Porter, Inishowen Independent
SOLICITORS in Inishowen have stepped up their
efforts to have the courthouse in Carndonagh
re-opened as a matter of urgency amidst fears that
it might not be opened again due to the current
economic climate.
Already members of the Inishowen Bar Society have
written to the Donegal Courts Service urging them to
re-open the Carndonagh Courthouse as soon as
possible. They have also appealed for members of the
public to make this a voting issue with local
election candidates.
Spokesperson for the Inishowen Bar Society, Philip
White, told the Inishowen Independent this week that
the Carndonagh venue was closed approximately a year
ago for the purposes of carrying out exploratory
works with a view to upgrading and extending the
facility. |
A great deal of
preparatory work was done by the Courts Service in
that it has been brought to a planning stage.
However due to the current financial climate it
appears that the Courts Service will not be in a
position in the near future to upgrade the
facility.
Local solicitors pressing to have the Carndonagh
venue re-opened are concerned that if it were |
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to remain closed any
longer, it will not re-open.
We feel the courthouse could be re-opened because
no works have started yet, but we are fearful that
if it continues to remain closed it could fall into
a state of disrepair and then it might not be
re-opened.
He said that members of the Inishowen Bar Society
have already pointed out to the Courts Service that
such a decision would be extremely detrimental to
the people of North Inishowen.
In the current financial climate the additional
cost consideration and constraints that are on
people with travelling, some without modes of
transport, to Buncrana (where Carndonagh sittings
are presently held), is unjust and unfair.
Mr. White also added that with two monthly sittings
in Carndonagh and the courthouse being used as a
venue for the Coroners Court, there has been a
considerable hit to the local economy with the loss
of these sittings.
The local solicitors have now called on people in
Inishowen to make the matter an election issue.
We are hoping that people will raise this issue
with election candidates when they come to the door
and would welcome support from candidates and the
public in our efforts to have the courthouse opened
again as soon as possible, Mr. White concluded. |
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