Closure of rural courts an ‘assault on country life’

A SOLICITOR has hit out at Courts Service plans to shut down two more rural district courts and centralise the sittings in Ennis from January.

Eugene O’Kelly said the decision to close court-houses in Ennistymon and Shannon in Co Clare was “a further assault on country life”.

Mr O’Kelly said that in 2008, there were 71 scheduled sittings at Ennis District Court but next year there will be 120 hearings.