Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is very easy to collect the aforementioned €400 in Skibbereen. Other consequences may be a little more serious. Obviously, the District Court is a court that affects most ordinary people more often. The current cost of holding District Court sittings in Kinsale, Clonakilty or Skibbereen is approximately the same, that is, €9,500 or €10,000 per annum. I also should mention increased costs to other State bodies, were the court venues to close in west Cork and to be relocated to Cork city.

One issue that is causing considerable concern to the communities involved is the security exposure in respect of the gardaí being obliged to travel, en masse in many cases, from more remote parts of west Cork to attend court proceedings in Cork city. I believe this would be a serious issue for security in the more rural villages. Allied to this, west Cork has experienced Garda closures over the past 12 months and more may be envisaged - I do not know what will emerge. I take the point the Minister always makes that, ultimately, it is gardaí who will prevent crime and while stations will accommodate, it is the availability of the gardaí that is most important. I understand these proposals are coming from the Courts Service. I believe the closures that are being proposed may be imminent and I believe time to be important in this regard. However, I sincerely ask that the Minister would consider both the spreadsheet cost of the rationalisation and the greater picture, including costs within his own Department from the Garda Commissioner's office and possible security implications from the Garda Commissioner's office to ascertain whether there is an opinion in that regard. Obviously, the general community effect for a small town of losing even a monthly sitting of a District Court is negative and perhaps also has an effect on the social, community and business life of a town. The Minister should consider these points in the context of the proposals from the Courts Service

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