Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Regarding the public private partnership, PPP, costs, the Estimate provides for an annual payment for €38 million in 2022. I think the payment for the Criminal Courts of Justice, CCJ, takes up about €27 million of that total, but I could be corrected on that figure. Does the Minister think this spending is still good value for money? It seems to be the model that is entrenched in the Department for the construction of any future court buildings.

I turn now to Tralee Courthouse. In that context, I welcome and look forward to the proposed family law changes. I also welcome the amendments and changes that have facilitated the smooth running of the courts during this pandemic, such as the remote hearings, which have helped victims and witnesses. Even prisoners do not have to travel for relatively mundane remands. The situation on the ground in Kerry, however, is that the forthcoming Circuit Court criminal trials, which commence for five weeks at the end of this month, are still going to be held in Limerick. It means that members of the Garda, witnesses, family members, and defendants must all travel out of the county. That is inconvenient for the people involved and for criminal justice.

It is not good for business around the town because business from juries and everyone else involved in the courts is leaving the county.

Could the Minister give a commitment that criminal trials will be returned to Tralee as soon as possible? I did put a proposal to the head of the Courts Service prior to Christmas, which was to go before the buildings committee in December, to say there is another building available across the road, the old Kerry Protestant Hall, which could be used for family law. Has that alternative been considered yet by the Courts Service in order that we could refurbish the existing court building? That would free up the Island of Geese site for other positive additional benefits to the town centre, following on from the Government commitment to invest in town centres.