Ballina court closure

Ring attacks Calleary over Ballina court closure

Áine Ryan

BALLINA town councillors will debate a motion on Thursday next (January 17) calling on the Minister for Justice to intervene in the Court Services’ decision to axe its Ballina offices.
All nine councillors signed the motion challenging the controversial decision, which would leave the county’s busiest court without in-house administrative services.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil TD, Dara Calleary has strongly dismissed claims by Fine Gael’s Deputy Michael Ring that the proposed closure is due to a lack of political clout in the north Mayo capital.
In a statement, which challenged Deputy Calleary’s influence, the shadow spokesman on Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs said he believed ‘the least the electorate of Ballina expected from local Deputy Dara Calleary was for the retention of the service in the north Mayo town’.
“I am not at all surprised with the outcry following the news that the Court Services are to vacate Ballina but I am surprised that Deputy Calleary cannot get the ear of the Minister for Justice to ensure the service is retained in Ballina,” said Deputy Ring.
“This is a political decision and Deputy Calleary knows this. It is now time that he demonstrates how he is regarded within Government by ensuring the Court Services office is retained in Ballina,” he continued.
On the other hand, Deputy Dara Calleary told The Mayo News that he had, in fact, spoken to Minister for Justice, Brian Lenihan on the matter just days before Christmas – on Friday, December 21 last.
“I told him that the Ballina office was busier than the Castlebar one and that its closure would be very inconvenient for the Gardaí. He has undertaken to talk to the CEO of the Court Services, PJ Fitzpatrick. I am now waiting for him to come back to me on it and hope to speak to him soon,” said Dara Calleary.
However, for local solicitor and Fine Gael councillor, Michelle Mulherin, the proposed closure is nothing more than another indictment of Government’s neglect of north Mayo. Since the mooted closure she has led a campaign for its retention.
She told The Mayo News yesterday it was ‘unacceptable’ that the business of the busiest court in the county should be transferred to Castlebar.
“Instead of downgrading Ballina Courthouse, the Court Services should be investing in extending the building, which is invariably packed to capacity every time the District Court sits. Furthermore, the courthouse should have the capacity to facilitate jury trials,” she said.