James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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47. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the provision of a new courthouse building for Naas, County Kildare to adequately cope with the growing capacity requirements of the court district; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42332/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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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.

The Government has included a large county town standard courthouse in Naas as part of the National Development Plan 2018-2027. The current courthouse site is very constrained, and it will not be possible to provide for future needs within the current building/site boundaries.

In recent months, Kildare County Council contacted the Courts Service and requested that the courthouse be vested in the Courts Service.  The courthouse had been left in local authority ownership thus far while the Courts Service is exploring a number of site options in Naas. The courthouse will be vested if, through the acquisition of an adjacent site, it is possible to extend. Alternatively, if a new courthouse is to be provided at a separate location, the existing courthouse will remain vested in the local authority and can be made available for community use.