Tralee councillors are calling for a meeting with the new Justice Minister to voice their concerns about the downgrading of court services in the county town.
The issue was raised at the Tralee Municipal District meeting by Cllr Jim Finucane who noted that major cases are going to Limerick and Cork, and said Tralee needs modern court facilities.
Tralee Cllr Jim Finucane says some Kerry court cases have been heard in Limerick and Cork in recent times, and he fears the county town could end up with no court services.
The future of the 19th century courthouse on Ashe Street has long been speculated about.
Modern court facilities are needed, and a proposal for a new building at a site in Ballymullen was opposed by many who didn’t want the service to move from the town centre.
The Island of Geese is also another location linked with a possible new court building.
Sinn Féin’s Cathal Foley said the council should meet the new Justice Minister Helen McEntee to put forward the concerns.
Mayor of Tralee, Terry O’Brien agreed, saying they need to call on the Minister or get Kerry Minister Norma Foley to make contact in order to get answers.
He added the Court Service previously made a significant investment to upgrade facilities in the courthouse in Cork, which is a similar age to Tralee’s one.
Meanwhile, a public-private partnership could be an option for a new Tralee courthouse.
Documents from the Courts Service released under a Freedom of Information request by journalist Anne Lucey show it among the options being looked at.
The documents show that a new or refurbished courthouse for Tralee could be provided through a public-private partnership as part of a number of similar projects around the country.
However, it is not a solution that Sinn Fein TD and Tralee solicitor, Pa Daly agrees with:
