Recent court closures have gone beyond what is rational, says John P Shaw.

Solicitors in West Cork have been granted leave to bring a judicial review against the proposed closure of the courthouse in Skibbereen.

One of the finest legal minds in the country has retired after 65 years of practice.

County councillors are backing solicitors in registering anger at the proposed closure of a courthouse in Co Cork.

A judge has criticised Dublin-based “mandarins”, detached from the reality of life in rural Ireland, for advocating the closure of a district court in one of the country’s top tourist towns.

The Courts Service appears to have softened its approach to relocating some of West Cork’s district courts to Cork City.

New twists have developed in the battle to prevent sittings of three courts being transferred from West Cork to Cork city.

Solicitors in West Cork estimate that the proposed closure of three courts in the region will cost the public and the State hundreds of thousands of euro.

Proposals by the Courts Service to transfer court sittings in Skibbereen, Clonakilty, and Kinsale to Cork City have been described as “wholly illogical, irrational”, and could leave the towns “under-policed”.

Solicitors say they are prepared to take whatever action is necessary — including legal action — to halt proposals to close a number of courts in Co Cork.