Deeds have been drafted for the transfer of land at the Island of Geese in Tralee to the Courts Service for a new courthouse in the town.
A list of records held by the Courts Service relating to the transfer of the town centre site has shown that the draft deeds have been in existence since May.
Concerns have been raised locally in Kerry that the acquisition of land is progressing so slowly, that the new courts complex will miss out on the next round of government funding for development.
One year ago, a vote was overwhelmingly passed by elected members of Kerry County Council to sell a 0.49-acre portion of the Island of Geese site to the Courts Service for a new courts complex in the town centre.
The land was agreed to be sold for €160,000, and the transfer of lands began last autumn.
In response to a Freedom of Information request from Radio Kerry, the Courts Service provided records relating to the transfer of these lands in the 12 months since.
A list of the records held by the Courts Service shows that draft deeds have been in existence since May 25th.
Correspondence has been ongoing since that date in relation to the draft deeds between the Courts Service, and the legal firm it has hired to handle the acquisition, Byrne Wallace.
The Courts Service refused to release any details of the 10-page draft deeds, or any correspondence relating to them, citing legal professional privilege.
Concerns have been expressed over the pace of the transfer of lands between Kerry County Council and the Courts Service.
Before the vote, the Kerry Law Society lobbied in favour of selling the site, and said that if the sale is completed quickly, Tralee will be one of the sites developed when the next round of funding is announced.
The Kerry Law Society said Tralee would be a primary candidate for selection as a regional dedicated family law centre, under new proposed changes in family law administration.
An email from the Kerry Law Society to the Courts Service in April this year said the group was very concerned that Tralee will not be designated as a suitable venue for a new family district or circuit court.
The email says this is because the transaction seems not to have been completed and there are no signs of any concrete plans for the Island of Geese development.
The Courts Service has told Radio Kerry that the conveyancing process in respect of the site is well underway at present and is expected to come to a successful conclusion shortly.
