Works to preserve historic courthouse

PRESERVATION works are to be undertaken by North Tipperary Co Council in a bid to stave off the closure of one of the country’s oldest courthouses.

Court cases have been heard in Roscrea courthouse since 1820 but despite internal renovations over the past decade the building still fails to meet the criteria required for a modern courthouse.

Temperatures inside the courthouse plummet during the winter and despite the heating being turned on there have been instances where local district court judge Mary Martin and visiting judges have commented upon the cold.

Local opposition has been strong to any proposals to shut the courthouse with local solicitors and senior gardaí voicing their opposition to any such proposal last year.

Closing the courthouse would mean transferring Roscrea court cases to Nenagh or Templemore.

County manager Joe MacGrath said the courthouse requires preservation works to ensure its future use, and that the council would be left with high maintenance bills if it fails to tackle the situation now.

Former mayor Cllr Denis Ryan said the town was in “real danger” of losing its courthouse and praised the manager’s response.