Video links needed to bring Cork courts 'into the 21st century'

Courtrooms across the country are being upgraded to include video technology, but many including Midleton and Fermoy are still waiting

Cork Courthouse, Anglesea Street, Cork.

Video links must be installed in east Cork courts to save money, protect human rights and “move the courts into the 21st century”, a solicitor has said.

Solicitor Joseph Cuddigan appealed to Judge Joanne Carroll for video links to be urgently installed in Midleton and Fermoy district courts.

He said that installing video links was also necessary to meet the constitutional requirement to administer justice in public.

Although Mallow District Court had video link technology installed last week, Midleton and Fermoy courts have none, which "makes no sense", Mr Cuddigan said.

While the courts service is rolling out video technology, which became more commonplace during the Covid-19 pandemic, many courts are still waiting.

"It's a matter of economics. The cost of bringing prisoners to court is high," he said.

"It's a humanitarian situation. Without a video link, you have prisoners and prison officers sitting outside court in a small van for hours. It's totally unnecessary. 

Even children use Zoom calls now. We have the technology.

"The constitution demands that justice is done in public. But having a few people huddle over a laptop to see a video link means that anyone who walks into the court cannot see what's happening. This is about the public administration of justice."

He said that Midelton covers a large area with a population of some 100,000 people living across its hinterlands, including the likes of Cobh, Carrigtwohill, Killa, and Ballycotton.

Judge Joanne Carroll told Midleton District Court: “I’m in no doubt that it would be a great facility for Midleton and east Cork.” 

Funding 

Last year, more than €2.2m was committed to expanding the number of courtrooms that are technology-enabled nationally, a statement from the Courts Service confirmed.

The expansion project is running across 2021 and aims to bring the number of up-to-date technology courtrooms from 55 to 104.

“In the first quarter of 2021, we completed 15 technology courtroom installations. In quarter two, there were a further 10 installations completed,” the Courts Service said.

This year, 49 courtrooms are planned to be video-enabled, with three more courtrooms updated in Washington Street in Cork city, as well as one in Mallow and one in Clonakilty.

By the end of the first half of the year, 50% of these 49 venues had been completed, the Courts Service said.

Pre-Covid, five courtrooms in Cork were technology-enabled with 13 in the southern region, allowing parties such as witnesses, prisoners or gardaí to dial into the courtroom and give evidence remotely.