Mumbling through an outdated court system

THE decision by Mr Justice Carney to terminate a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court (Irish Examiner, October 12) has put the spotlight on our antiquated court system.

How could anyone who has experience of courtroom reality in Ireland express surprise at the inaudible mumbling in the court, not least by the legal professionals?

The very nature of ‘the well’ — the area reserved for the legal advocates in courtrooms throughout the country — is such that the acoustics are exactly what you would expect.

If you talk into a well, sound fades.

Often even the inadequate microphones are not switched on.

In such circumstances, when proceedings are inaudible, how can justice be seen (or heard) to be done?

If we want to ensure a quality system of justice which is transparent and accountable, there should be top-class recording and audio systems in every court in the country.

This is hardly too much to ask in our hi-tech Celtic Tiger economy which communicates digitally on the information highway that has yet to reach our courtrooms.

Liam Ó Gógáin

1 Muirhevna

Dublin Road

Dundalk

Co Louth.