Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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147. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide an assurance that there are no plans to close the courthouse in Carndonagh, County Donegal. [27987/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions, including in regard to the provision of accommodation for court sittings.

However, in order to be of assistance I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that there are currently no plans to close the courthouse in Carndonagh.

The Courts Service keeps the number of court venues it maintains under continuous review with no court venue being singled out or exempt from the review process.

During the course of 2012, the Court Service completed a comprehensive review of all venues throughout the country. The purpose of that review was to establish a framework within which venues could be considered for closure taking account of a range of criteria such as caseload, proximity to a alternative venue, physical condition of the building, availability of cells etc. The specific output was the identification of a range of venues nationwide which based on the criteria applied could be considered for closure subject to a detailed assessment and the preparation of a business case in respect of each identified venue. In this regard, the identification of venues as part of the review process did not necessarily mean that the identified venues would close.

Carndonagh courthouse was, following the comprehensive review, identified as a venue which should be considered for closure subject to a detailed assessment and the preparation of a business case. However, following the review the Courts Service decided to retain the courthouse in Carndonagh due to its location on the Inishowen peninsula.

Accordingly there are currently no plans to close the courthouse in Carndonagh.