Mr. John Coyle:

I do not have an answer. I only heard about the proposal to move family law cases from Athlone to Mullingar yesterday evening. This afternoon there will be a meeting of legal practitioners about it and, perhaps, other proposals for the transaction of court business in County Westmeath generally. I raised the same concerns as the Deputy about the proposal. While there is an excellent facility in Mullingar to deal with ordinary, day-to-day business, there are issues about the availability of consultation rooms. My deputy is to attend the meeting and I have asked her to ask why it is necessary to move family law cases which have been heard in Athlone for some time to Mullingar. It may be due to pressure on space in Athlone District Court. As the Deputy said, repossession cases are being moved to Athlone District Court, given that we are providing additional support services for distressed borrowers such as having the Money Advice and Budgeting Service, MABS, and the Insolvency Service of Ireland on site to provide advice. The same issues arose in using the service in Mullingar. The issue is being examined. I share the Deputy's concerns.