Mary Wallace’s Neglect of Dunshaughlin Courthouse has led to its Closure – Fine Gael’s O’Connor

Mary Wallace’s Neglect of Dunshaughlin Courthouse has led to its Closure – Fine Gael’s O’Connor

Justice should be administered locally, and the new – but unused –council offices in Dunshaughlin should be used for the local caseload.

May 1, 2009: The Dunshaughlin Courthouse, which survived The Famine, World War I and World War II – is to close due to the negligence of our local Fianna Fail representatives.

“Mary Wallace TD was well aware the courthouse was in urgent need of refurbishment, back in 1996, when she raised the issue in the Dail,” said Gerry O’Connor, Fine Gael candidate for the upcoming local elections. “What did Mary Wallace do about it when she became a Minister in the Department of Justice twelve years ago? Nothing.”

“This is a hugely significant loss for the town and illustrates yet again how little this government cares for people in the community,” said Gerry O’Connor. “The decision is opposed by the legal profession, which successfully halted the previous attempt at closure in 2004.”

At the time, the Bar Council of Ireland, local legal practices and the Dunshaughlin and District Chamber of Commerce offered the view that “Justice should be administered locally. The courts should be decentralised, rather than centralised.”

“This move is very inconvenient for people in the district, because there is no direct bus route from Dunboyne, Ratoath or Ashbourne to Navan,” O’Connor continued. “The facilities at Dunshaughlin should be improved, rather than closing the courthouse.”

“The facility is to be closed ‘temporarily’ and the caseload transferred to Navan Courthouse,” said Gerry O’Connor. “We can see from the closure of the county council offices in the Dunshaughlin that there will be nothing ‘temporary’ about this.”

“The Fianna Fail-controlled Meath County Council has a history of moving all services to Navan and building huge new facilities at taxpayers’ expense,” he said. “Why not transfer the Courthouse in Dunshaughlin ‘temporarily’ to the magnificent Meath County Council “One-Stop-Shop” on the Drumree Road, which has ample space since the council re-centralised its planning and motor tax facilities.”

The closure of the courthouse would have a significant effect on local businesses, which rely on the trade associated with legal proceedings in the town.

ENDS

For more details contact:

Gerry O’Connor goconnor@gaelic.ie

087…

http://meathfinegael.wordpress.com

Notes for Editor: Photo: Local Fine Gael Candidate Gerry O’ Connor with Fine Gael European Election Candidate John Paul Phelan outside Dunshaughlin Courthouse.

Dail Question on Dunshaughlin Courthouse in 1996

Gerry O'Connor and John Paul Phelan, Dunshaughlin Court house

In 1996, Fianna Fail TD for Meath Mary Wallace asked the Minister for Justice, Nora Owen, about progress in the refurbishment of the Dunshaughlin Courthouse. She got the following reply: “Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen): Consultant architects have been appointed and are currently preparing plans for the refurbishment of Dunshaughlin courthouse. Until the plans are finalised it is not possible to provide full details of the works. Dáil Éireann 463 Written Answers. Dunshaughlin (Meath) Courthouse