Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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567. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the court building in Carndonagh, which has been closed for renovation; if it is intended to be reopened as a court venue; if not, if consideration will be given to making the building available for alternative community use; if arrangements can be made to ensure that people are no longer summonsed to Carndonagh when hearings must take place in Buncrana. [35605/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, management of the courts and operational matters, including matters pertaining to court buildings, are the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in the exercising of its functions under the Courts Service Act 1998.

However, to be of assistance to the Deputy, my officials have made enquiries with the Courts Service and the following sets out the position in relation to the courthouse in Carndonagh.

I am informed by Courts Service that it is currently exploring all options regarding the future use of the courthouse in Carndonagh. While no decision has yet been made on reinstating the property as an active court venue, the Courts Service has been approached by a local community group expressing interest in engaging in discussions about the potential use of the building.

These discussions aim to identify a mutually beneficial arrangement that would support both community needs and the continued presence of court services in the area. This may include consideration of a rental or lease agreement, potentially involving the development or shared use of the facility.

It is important to note that any such discussions would require the involvement of the local authority before a final decision can be made regarding the future of the courthouse.

In relation to summonses, the process of transferring sittings from Carndonagh Courthouse to Buncrana Courthouse involved changes to the Courts Service Criminal Case Tracking System to ensure that all summonses appropriate to Carndonagh Court sittings reflected the fact that from the date the initial change was to occur, people were summonsed to the correct court venue. In addition to changing our systems, the Courts Service engaged in significant communications with all court users to ensure the change of venue was communicated appropriately.

I am also informed by the Courts Service that the Letterkenny Court Office has no record of a person being summonsed to a Court sitting in Carndonagh when that individual should have been summonsed to Buncrana. It is open to the Deputy to contact the Courts Service directly with regards to a specific case for their investigation. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the House of the Oireachtas; at: oireachtasenquiries@courts.ie