Claremorris is court winner

Claremorris to gain from court reshuffle

Anna-Marie Flynn

THE fall-out from the revision of the courts system will have a positive twist for Claremorris, as the long-mooted, purpose-built courthouse will finally reach fruition in the south Mayo town. 
In a bizarre move, as part of its reshuffle, the Courts Service has decided to withdraw court sittings in Ballyhaunis and Ballinrobe, which both have purpose-built courthouses, from January of next year. The plan will see all of Ballyhaunis cases, and part of Ballinrobe’s workload, heard in Claremorris, where the District Court sitting is currently accommodated in the Town Hall.
In a statement issued last week, the Mayo Solicitors’ Bar Association said the move to centralise venues for court sittings was ‘unfair, unjust and irrational’.
The statement particularly highlighted the proposed merger with Claremorris. “The proposal that most if not all of the work currently dealt with in the Ballyhaunis and Ballinrobe District Courts be centralised in Claremorris flies in the face of fairness and justice. For more than 20 years there has been no courthouse in the town of Claremorris for District Court sittings. Why then are two courthouses, which are available for District Court sittings, being closed down when there are no proper and adequate facilities in Claremorris for the hearing of the District Court?”
When contacted by The Mayo News, a spokesperson for the Courts Service said that the current conditions, whereby a section of the Town Hall accommodates the court sitting on the second Thursday of each month, are not envisaged to continue too long into the future.
The spokesperson said that the Courts Service was aware of the fact that two available courthouses are in existence in Ballyhaunis and Ballinrobe, but said the idea behind the move was to make the system more centralised. “In relation to court facilities in Claremorris, the Courts Service has decided to invest in building a new courthouse in the town,” said the spokesperson.
It is now thought that the state-of-the-art courthouse, which has been discussed locally for several years, will be positioned at Convent Road in the town, in close proximity to the Council offices which are currently under construction at the town’s large Council-owned site.
However, Aidan Crowley, solicitor and Castlebar town councillor, said he ‘wouldn’t hold his breath’ for such a development.
“What is referred to as a ‘court’ in Claremorris is an absolute disgrace. The fact that the powers-that-be have allowed that to continue is appalling. I don’t know how it passes health and safety. It’s a joke. We could be waiting a long time for a new courthouse in Claremorris bearing in mind the current economic downturn; to be honest I wouldn’t hold my breath for it,” he said.
A spokesperson for the Courts Service said it was not in a position to reveal details of the proposed plan, facilities or project dates for the planned courthouse.