Authorities meet on courthouse closure

There has been huge concern in the Dunshaughlin area over the proposed closure of Dunshaughlin Courthouse at the end of this month and the transferring of sittings to Navan from September. Local TD Mary Wallace has expressed her dismay at the proposal that the service be moved out of a district that caters for 46,000 people and is also concerned about the future of the existing courthouse and who is responsible for it in the interim. Dunshaughlin Court is due to sit in the local courthouse for the last time on 28th July and sittings will take place after the summer break in Navan from 1st September. Dunshaughlin Solicitor Liam Keane has coordinated the concern of local solicitors and a meeting took place on Monday with representatives of the courts service that was also attended by local solicitors, management of Meath County Council, Deputy Wallace and Cllr Nick Killian. Cllr Killian expressed his concern that up to 40 Gardai would be pulled out of the Dunshaughlin area on a court sitting day to attend the Dunshaughlin Court at its new location in Navan. Deputy Wallace said: 'Suggestions were brought forward to see if there was any other building in the Dunshaughlin district that would be suitable for the district court as the delegation has no option but to accept the concerns of the Courts Service regarding the health and safety of the existing building'. She added that the Court Service said the closure of Dunshaughlin Courthouse and its transfer to Navan was only temporary and that the Courts Service was willing to consider alternative proposals which might be put forward regarding other locations in the district. Local solicitor Liam Keane is calling for the existing courthouse in Dunshaughlin to be upgraded and if that is not possible he said an alternative location should be found within the district. 'The courts service have expressed concerns about the existing premises and I accept they are far from perfect but they have served the area well over a long number of years without mishap. I certainly accept that it may not comply with current health and safety regulations but neither do a lot of courts and it is regrettable that Dunshaughlin is the one chosen to be closed,' said Mr Keane. He said he suspected that it would not cost a lot of money to set matters right at the existing courthouse so that it would comply with regulations but that if this is not possible, every effort must be made to secure alternative premises in the area so that the court remains in the South Meath. He pointed out that Dunshaughlin Court serves Dunshaughlin, Ratoath, Ashbourne and Dunboyne, an area with over 40,000 people which he said is the fastest growing area in the country according to the last census. 'It seems nonsensical that the court would not be in the area. There should be a courthouse serving the people of south Meath rather than dragging people to Navan,' said Mr Keane. 'All procedures were in place before we were notified that from 1st September, there would be no more sittings in Dunshaughlin. The court service has said it is a temporary move and we must their bona fides on that,' he added. Mr Keane said that a number of suggestions were made at the meeting that are being looked at as to whether they are feasible or not. He said there are a large number of buildings not in use in the area and that some are in public ownership. 'It is logical that they be considered, though it is regrettable that they were not considered before the decision was made'. Mr Keane said the building in Navan is only rented and he understood that the lease was up in 2012. He added that the court room is 'fine but far from perfect' and that it is a shared building, there are issues with people being on the stairs and there are car parking difficulties. Mr Keane said that Navan Courthouse is a long way from Dunboyne or Ashbourne, and there difficulties for people in terms of public transport.