Wicklow Sinn Féin TD John Brady has said the Government can no longer kick the can down the road on the future of Wicklow District Court in Wicklow Town, after a recent meeting he held with senior officials from the Courts Service.
Speaking on the issue, Deputy Brady said:
“Figures I have obtained show that up to €250,000 has already been spent by the OPW simply to repair the roof of Wicklow District Court and stop water leaking in. At a recent meeting with senior staff from the Courts Service I was also told clearly that it is now a key priority for the Courts Service to see the courthouse in Wicklow town reopened. Not only do they intend to restore the building, but they also want to expand it from two courtrooms to four. This would be vital in alleviating the huge pressures currently on Bray District Court, which is bursting at the seams. The Courts Service has included Wicklow District Court in its submission to the review of the National Development Plan, alongside Naas, Portlaoise and Tralee courthouses. Its fate now lies in the hands of the Minister for Justice and this government.”
Deputy Brady said the continued inaction of the Government was scandalous and an insult to the people of Wicklow.
“Wicklow District Court is a landmark building in the very heart of Wicklow town, standing on the Market Square. To see it lying idle and falling into disrepair sums up the Government’s attitude to Wicklow, one of neglect and dereliction. It is a complete insult to the people of Wicklow and to the judiciary service, which is crying out for more capacity.”
He said successive Governments have wasted enormous sums of taxpayers’ money while refusing to make any progress on reopening the court.
“This building has been closed since 2010. For 15 years the Government has allowed it to sit idle while throwing hundreds of thousands of euros into keeping the heating on and carrying out maintenance just to stop it deteriorating. Now we are told that well over €200,000 has gone into roof repairs. This is a wilful waste of public funds and an appalling indictment of Government inaction. Rather than investing to bring Wicklow District Court back into productive use, they are content to keep pouring money into an empty building.”
Brady reminded that Wicklow District Court was included in the ten-year capital plan in 2018, yet no real progress has been made since.
“In 2018 the then Minister for Justice said Wicklow District Court would be included in the ten-year capital plan, with works due to commence that year. When that did not happen, I was told they would take place in 2019. Years later, nothing has happened. This level of delay and neglect is shameful.”
The Wicklow TD said the Government must immediately outline a clear and binding timeline for the reopening of the courthouse.
“The Government simply cannot keep stalling. The Courts Service want Wicklow District Court reopened and expanded, the need for additional courtrooms is undeniable, yet the Government sits on its hands. Taxpayers are being robbed while this landmark building stands idle. It is time for the Minister to act, end this waste, and finally bring Wicklow District Court back into use.”