Justice Minister says Tralee Courthouse’s future to be decided before end of this year

JUSTICE Minister Charlie Flanagan has indicated that it will be difficult to accommodate the required ‘state of the art’ facilities needed at Tralee Courthouse in its current location on Ashe Street.

He described the current courthouse as ‘dilapidated’ and ‘not fit for purpose’ following a visit to the Tralee Courthouse complex on Monday evening, and he said he would make a decision on the future of the building by the end of next year.

He also re-iterated at a media briefing in Tralee on Monday that he would abolish the court poor box as soon as possible.

“I have indicated and I reaffirm my view that I don’t see the court poor box as having any place in the Irish legal system and I am going to abolish it,” he said.

The Minister said that he has made no decision on whether to move the courthouse to a new location or not but he indicated that it would be difficult to meet the requirement for a modern courthouse in its current location.

It has long been mooted that Tralee Courthouse could be moved to a new greenfield site in Ballymullen – a move that the local legal and business communities are against.

Minister Flanagan said that he would take into account their concerns about the move but added that the current courthouse situation “can’t continue”.