Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

90. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if the Courts Service plans to recruit new staff for the new Drogheda courthouse; when these positions will be advertised; when the new courthouse will become operational; the overall cost of the project; if it will accommodate sittings of the Circuit Court; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17318/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy will be aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions.

However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that the new courthouse in Drogheda is currently being constructed as part of a Public Private Partnership bundle of 7 courthouses in various locations nationwide whereby the Courts Service will be paying a monthly unitary charge for a period of 25 years. The new courthouse is a two courtroom venue with an estimated capital cost of approximately €9 million and is currently scheduled for hand-over to the Courts Service on 1 May 2017.

The Courts Service has also informed me that it is expected that the first sittings of the District Court will commence in the new courthouse during the course of May/June 2017. Sittings of the Circuit Court are a matter for the President of the Circuit Court and I have no function in the matter.

The Courts Service does not envisage that additional staff will be required to support court sittings in Drogheda Courthouse. District Court sittings in Drogheda are currently supported by staff based in the combined court office in Dundalk and court sittings at the new courthouse in Drogheda will continue to be supported by such staff.