Courts to amalgamate in spite of opposition

A DECISION is expected to be made shortly to amalgamate two district courts in Waterford despite widespread opposition to the plans.

The neighbouring West Waterford towns are both against any proposal that would result in the withdrawal of their local District Court sittings.

While no official decision has been taken by the Department of Justice to date, it seems increasingly probable that the District Courts in Tallow and Cappoquin are to be amalgamated, with Lismore providing the region with one substantial monthly court sitting.

Courts in Tallow and Cappoquin are only held on alternate months, both having previously engaged in monthly sittings. However, the number of cases still being dealt with at both locations is comparatively small.

Presently the monthly court in Lismore is held in the local Teagasc office while the local courthouse is currently undergoing major refurbishments.

The court sittings in Tallow are held in St Patrick’s Parish Hall, while the boathouse of the local rowing club is the even more unusual venue in Cappoquin.

The three court venues in the region are the responsibility of two District Court headquarters. Cappoquin is under the jurisdiction of Clonmel while Lismore and Tallow are the responsibility of the Fermoy office. With one amalgamated court in Lismore it would be solely under the jurisdictional control of Fermoy.

Fianna Fáil county councillor James Tobin said Tallow will resist any move to downgrade the status of the town.

He said the local parish committee had spent a very significant sum on improvements to St Patrick’s Hall simply to comply with the requirements for holding the court there. “Is this the way they are now to be thanked?” he asked.

Mr Tobin said the population of Tallow is set to increase by over 50% over the next few years, while the local court also takes in the Conna area. “Are these people expected to have to travel to Lismore if the court ceases in Tallow?”

He said that on the days the courts are sitting in Lismore it would mean that there would be no garda presence in Tallow, and that the area would be vulnerable to criminals. “There will also be the loss of business which court day generates not to mention the loss of status for the town itself,” Mr Tobin said.

Cappoquin based Fine Gael county councillor Nora Flynn said losing the court from her town would be the latest in a long line of attacks by the State on rural communities.