James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will have to conclude that engagement, but I will add to the point. I agree with what Deputy Daly said, and that is mirrored throughout the country. I am aware of the same situation in Naas where witnesses, practitioners, in some cases defendants and people who might have difficulty accessing transport were required to travel to Drogheda for trials. They had to travel even for call-overs, and it should have been unnecessary for defendants to have to be present at those. I believe Wicklow trials may have been held in Trim at one stage or perhaps in Drogheda as well. It is quite a trek across two or three counties in the eastern circuit to get there. Whatever about practitioners or staff who can perhaps hop into their cars, I know defendants struggled at times to make that journey. Deputy Daly spoke about Tralee. I am familiar with the situation in Naas, Kildare and Wicklow. We all hope we are at the outer reaches of the pandemic and getting back to normality, but as a general point, if that is to continue, perhaps the Courts Service could review those venues for the following term in respect of more local venues if it is possible to procure them within the county in each case rather than travelling significant distances.