TRALEE Chamber Alliance is appealing to Kerry County Councillors to secure the future of the Court Services in Tralee at either the existing Courthouse on Ashe Street or at a suitable alternative site in Tralee.

Councillors will meet at the monthly meeting of Kerry County Council on Monday, to vote on the sale of a plot of land at the Island Of Geese to the Courts Service for the purpose of constructing a new Courthouse.

The Chamber is also asking for transparency around discussions pertaining to the conversation between the Court Service and Kerry County Council.

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A statement from Colette O’Connor, Chief Executive of Tralee Chamber Alliance reads: “We are asking councillors to ensure that the court service remains in the town of Tralee. The business generated from the service into the local area, particularly the town centre, is a vital part of the economic wellbeing of not just Tralee itself but the greater North Kerry area.

“To have it under any question is hugely concerning to Tralee Chamber Alliance. There has been much debate around the issues facing the current building and while the Chamber does not have all the facts relating to this matter, let me be clear, that to have the service removed from Tralee would be devastating from a business point of view.”

“We have spoken about access and connectivity into the town centre constantly over the past twelve months. It is also vital to protect existing amenities and services that will ensure the future growth of business in Tralee.

“Any threat to the Court Service remaining in the town needs to be dealt with in a measured way that will ensure the interest of all the stakeholders here in Tralee.”

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A GREEN Party Kerry online survey has revealed that the vast majority of respondents want Tralee Courthouse to be retained in use for Courts and there is overwhelming opposition to the proposal of a new courthouse at the Island of Geese site.

The survey was conducted in September to capture public views on the future of Tralee Courthouse. All 144 submissions collected were anonymous.

The Green Party representative for Tralee, Anluan Dunne said: “It is clear that the majority of people want the court to remain where it is. The previous review of the historic building by the OPW must be re-assessed.”

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“We have highly talented architects skilled in heritage conservation who can produce a design to satisfy the needs of the Courts Service, legal professionals and the public. Let us lay out the challenge and invite proposals to refurbish the building in a way that is fit for purpose,” added Mr Dunne.

In the survey, over 70% of people wished to see the decision by the Courts Service to seek a new building reviewed.

Close to 80% of people do not want the Courts Service to re-locate away from the heritage building.

With regard to the Island of Geese site, 82% of respondents believe Kerry County Council should not permit the construction of a new Courthouse there.

Anluan Dunne said: “On one hand, we hear criticism of private property owners for lack of maintenance of the historic buildings which they own such as those in the town centre. Yet on the other we see two arms of the state actively working to abandon a key historic structure. The most responsible approach is to retain the existing building. It’s the lowest carbon option, maintains our heritage and promotes the upkeep and use of heritage building. “

DEPUTY Pa Daly understands the builing committee of the Courts Service is to meet on Thursday to consider a proposal whereby an additional building could be acquired in Ashe Street to enable the Courts facilities to remain there.

The Sinn Féin spokesperson for Law Reform, proposed the solution to the ongoing issues relating to the courthouse which he said would ensure the Denny Site could be used for more “imaginative facilities”.

“After the recent Justice Committee meeting about court and courthouses, at which we heard of the importance of courthouses such as Tralee’s, I undertook to look into solutions for the current impasse with regards the site of a redeveloped courthouse,” said the Tralee native.

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“The possibility of a cost effective and practical solution should be explored where the Court Service could acquire a building close by which could host offices and other administrative functions. I understand the building committee of the courts service is meeting on Thursday and will consider this possibility.”

“With an internal fit out of both that building and the courthouse, with disability access also provided, we could have a state of the art and fit-for-purpose facility in Ashe Street,” continued Deputy Daly.

“Crucially, this would also reduce emissions from extensive building works, preserve the built heritage of the courthouse and keep the court as a focal point of economic life in the town.

“It would also allow the rear of the Denny Site to be used for imaginative facilities for the community especially younger people. I have a report prepared by an engineer which explores some options to this end.

“The Courts Service are independent in their operation and decisions but the Minister clearly has a large role to play in these plans. She can help to make this solution happen, for the benefit of Tralee and the people of Kerry,” said Deputy Daly.

KERRY’S Sinn Féin TD has called on the Courts Service to clarify if they have carried out an assessment of Tralee Courthouse by a Conservation Architect.

Speaking after the Justice committee on Tuesday of this week, Pa Daly TD, spokesperson for Law Reform, welcomed the contribution from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

“When the committee was preparing our work programme for this term, I had asked that the topic of courts and courthouses be included, and following a discussion with Malcolm Noonan, Minister of State, requested a representative from his Department be invited,” said Deputy Daly.

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“Nicola Matthews from that Department was very clear in her written submission and her contribution: No courthouse should be abandoned without an assessment of the building by a Conservation Architect Grade 1.

“Ms Matthews also made clear that courthouses such as Tralee are part of our built heritage legacy and provide an important social record. The impacts of climate change also necessitate a policy of the refurbishment of buildings over new builds.

“However, the Courts Service were unable to confirm if such an assessment has been carried out with respect to Tralee during a 2019/2020 review of all court venues.

“Where court services are being moved, in whole or in part, from an existing Courthouse, and where an expensive new building is being considered by the Department, this could be a wasteful oversight. It would also contradict the Government’s emphasis on strengthening town centres in the ‘Town Centre First’ Programme for Government.

“I am calling on the Courts Service to clarify whether they have carried out this assessment and to partner with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to pursue the refurbishment of the existing courthouse. This should be done before any decision is taken to remove court services from Ashe Street, which in my view would be detrimental to Tralee Town and the surrounding area.”

THE Department of Heritage are conducting a review of Tralee’s historic courthouse and their views will be communicated to the OPW and the Courts Service.

The Courts Service has signalled it wishes to construct a new court complex in Tralee, rather than invest in the existing building on Ashe Street, with the former Denny factory site being the preferred option.

Sinn Féin TD for Kerry Pa Daly has welcomed the news of the review, saying the Courts Service has been deliberately downgrading services in the courthouse in Tralee.

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“While the refusal to invest in our court building has continued for years, under successive governments, this has recently accelerated with the removal of circuit court or indictable cases to Limerick despite efforts by local lawyers to keep services here and prevent the exodus out of the county of Gardaí, victims of crime, witnesses and representatives for weeks on end,” said Deputy Daly.

“The only investment in Tralee’s court over the past 40 years has been a lick of paint and a kitchen for the judge’s chamber. Plans for wheelchair access have gone no further than the wall of the lobby in the courthouse. A policy of running the court in Tralee into the ground is not acceptable.

“Everybody concerned accepts that we need an improved court building, but the correct decision and the overall good of the town and town centre must be prioritised.

“No proper plans for the existing site have been produced but with increased emphasis on the importance of town centres and preserving historic buildings I hope that the potential for both enhancing the current building and keeping court business in its current location in Tralee town centre can be achieved,” he said.

SINN Féin TD for Kerry, Pa Daly, has expressed his disappointment with the Courts Service decision to move courts away from Tralee Courthouse to another site in the town.

Deputy Daly says he has been informed that the Courts Service has made a decision not to refurbish the Courthouse on Ashe Street.

“This is bad news for Tralee. I was very disappointed to hear that the decision has been taken by the Courts Service to move Tralee Courthouse away from its current site,” said Deputy Daly.

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“Given the commitment in the Programme for Government to prioritise town centres, it is all the more disappointing to learn that this refurbishment, which a former Minister for Justice recently informed me had €18 million set aside, is now not going to take place.

“Due to years of under investment in Tralee Courthouse by successive governments, facilities have been allowed to deteriorate. I note they are now seeking alternative venues.

“The Denny’s site should not be used for a courthouse, or anything for that  matter, unless there is going to be an additional benefit to the town centre and town of Tralee as a result.

“Taking the courthouse from Ashe Street to the Denny’s Site on its own is not an additional benefit to the town.  Studies in Britain have shown that in order to revitalise town centres, not only should there be people living in the town, but there must be employment in the town centre also.

“Tralee Courthouse, an iconic building, was designed by a 16 year old apprentice architect in the 1840’s, constructed from limestone quarried from the green in Tralee town centre and has been central to both Tralee’s and the county’s history since the days of Daniel O’Connell.

“Sinn Féin’s view has always been that we could have developed the area in Ashe Street to include a family law court and improve facilities but the effort and imagination required to make the building fit for purpose in the 21st century could not be found.”

A DECISION on a new Courthouse in Tralee has yet to be made, after Sinn Féin TD for Kerry, Pa Daly, issued a question on the matter to the Minister for Justice this week.

Deputy Daly asked Minister Helen McEntee about the options explored in relation to the socially-distanced swearing in of juries for trials in Tralee Courthouse; if any venues were examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

In relation to the possibility of a new venue for a courthouse, the Minister replied that; “discussions between the Courts Service and Kerry County Council regarding the Island of Geese site have been ongoing since mid-2018 and the site, as well as other options, remain under consideration.  The Courts Service would like to expedite the issue as quickly as possible, which will require the approval of the elected members of Kerry County Council.  It will be a matter for the Courts Service to decide on the final location of the Tralee Courthouse.”

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Deputy Daly said that with an extra amount of effort and imagination, a renovation of the existing courthouse, which has served the town well for generations, could contribute towards the regeneration of the town centre.

“Moving the courts to the Island of Geese/Denny Site would be unnecessary, expensive and would not be of any additional benefit to the town of Tralee,” he said. “I am heartened to hear that other options are being explored and I urge Kerry County Council to demand renovation as the preferred option.”

Deputy Daly also condemned a lack of imagination and flexibility on the part of the Courts Service and the Department of Justice in relation to the current operations in Tralee Courthouse.

“In a response to my parliamentary question asking what efforts had been made to source alternative buildings to swear in juries and keep the trials local, the Minister for Justice stated that Kerry Circuit Court Criminal Trials are currently being heard in Limerick. This however forces witnesses, complainants, defendants and their families to travel outside the county and it removes members of An Garda Síochána from County Kerry for weeks on end.

“The reply from the Court Services about capacity in Tralee, which they maintain necessitated the move, shows a lack of imagination and flexibility. The use of sportshalls for swearing in of juries or use of technology to reduce the number of witnesses who have to attend proceedings could and should be looked at.”

KERRY County Council is to seek a definitive answer from Courts Service to determine what are their plans in relation to Tralee Courthouse and whether they intend on relocating the courts in the town.

At the meeting of Tralee Municipal District on Monday, Cllr Jim Finucane had a motion before council that they draw up a plan for alternative uses of the existing courthouse such as GAA museum, arts centre, amateur drama and other potential uses.

Cllr Finucane said the facilities at the Courthouse are not fit for purpose and if the Courts Service will not commit to carrying out the necessary works to bring it up to standard, then other plans need to be made for the building.

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In reply, Council Management said the Courthouse is vested in the Courts Service and not in the ownership of Kerry County Council. They are not aware of any definitive plans by the Court Services in relation to the future proposals.

“My information is there is no proposal to extend or renovate the existing courthouse,” said Cllr Finucane, who feared that in time Tralee would lose all courts to the cities, adding to people’s difficulties.

He said the Courts Service has previously looked at sites in Fels Point and Ballymullen Barracks, but no decision has been made on the location of a new facility.

Cllr Cathal Foley said he couldn’t support Cllr Finucane’s motion because he didn’t want to give the Courts Service any encouragement to move out of the Courthouse.

Mayor of Tralee Cllr Terry O’Brien said there was too much speculation about what was happening with the Courthouse. He said they will seek straight answers from the Courts Service who need to state publicly what their intentions are in relation to the situation in Tralee.

A DELEGATION from Tralee met with Brendan Ryan, Courts Services CEO, in Dublin today in an effort to keep court services in Tralee town centre.

Sinn Féin Councillor and local solicitor Pa Daly attended the meeting along with Aidan Kelly from the Tralee Chamber Alliance and Kerry TDs Martin Ferris and John Brassil.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Daly said: “A commitment has been given that there will be a Courts complex in Kerry and while they are looking at various sites, no decision has been made as to the location.

“We impressed upon Mr. Ryan of the importance of the courts services to Tralee town and we advocated to keep them in the town centre, with a preference for Ashe Street where the existing services are currently located.

“We are hopeful that our meeting today will have a positive impact and I want to thank both Deputies Martin Ferris and John Brassil for being there today.”

AN Alliance of Tralee businesses, town centre traders , legal practitioners and public representatives will be writing to Minister for Justice and the Courts Service outlining a joint position that court hearings should remain in the Courthouse on Ashe Street .

Members of the various interests met on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the ongoing issue. A decision is due to be made soon on whether the court sittings will be moved, with a new Courthouse at Ballymullen mentioned as a possible location in the past.

“Members of the legal profession, town centre businesses, politicians, An Garda Siochána, and the Press are in favour of the courts remaining in the current building,” said local solicitor and county councillor Pa Daly.

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They met with the Courts Service on separate occasions last year and there is an  acknowledgement that the Courthouse needs to be improved in order to comply with the needs of a modern court building with adequate wheelchair access, compliance with the EU Directive regarding a room for victims of crime, proper facilities for meetings with clients and facilities for members of the Press.

“We submit there is ample space to make the necessary improvements within the current structure which with a little imagination and financial support the current building can continue to serve the County of Kerry rather than spending money on a new facility on the outskirts of the town,” said local solicitor and county councillor, Pa Daly.

“Worryingly however, no improvements have been carried out or announced even though a firm of architects have produced a report for the Courts Service and, while we understand that An Post are open to the idea of a land transfer in order to provide extra space, no agreement has been made,” he added.

THE Mayor of Tralee called on his fellow councillors and council management to do all they can to keep the court sittings at Tralee Courthouse.

The Courts Service proposes to construct a new courthouse on an alternative site to the building on Ashe Street and a State-owned property at Ballymullen is currently being looked at.

“The Courthouse is a fabulous facility,” said Mayor Terry O’Brien (Lab) at the Tralee Municipal District meeting on Tuesday.  “This is from someone who has brought forward motions about wheelchair access. This can be remedied. It would be very sad to see the courts services leave the town centre,” he said, calling on all councillors to resist the move.

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Sinn Féin Cllr Pa Daly said there were ample lands to develop the site on Ashe Street and there is no need to move the courts to a new location. He said it was an “absolute no-brainer” that the services should stay and to leave the building would be a travesty. 2

Kerry County Council’s Director of Services, Michael Scannell, said discussions took place during the past week and the Courts Services regional officer was down from Cork about the issue.

“It’s important that momentum gathers around this and we show a united front as a town,” said Mr Scannell.

Members of the Kerry Law Society met with President of the Circuit Court, Mr Justice Raymond Groarke last week where they put forward alternatives to moving the services.

These included utilising a piece of land owned by An Post at the rear of the Courthouse and the Kerry Protestant Hall building across the road.

THE Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald, says the State has identified a location for a new Courthouse in Tralee.

The site, which is in State ownership, will not be at the court’s current location on Ashe Street and the Courts Service is assessing the site to establish whether it’s suitable for a courthouse.

The Minister told Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae, that the provision of a new courthouse for Tralee depends on securing an alternative site and the availability of funding.

She says she’s aware it’s not possible to improve facilities in existing courthouse on Ashe Street, which has no wheelchair access.

THE issue of access and remedial works to Tralee Courthouse was brought up again at the meeting of the Tralee Municipal District meeting, where a frustrated Cllr Terry O’Brien joked that he was tempted to commit a crime just to see the inside of the building.

The Municipal District wrote to the Courts Service in September calling on them to make the Courthouse in Tralee a more accessible environment for all. At the moment there is no access for wheelchair users.

On Monday, councillors received a copy of a letter of reply, received by the Council from the Courts Service on November 5, which stated it would “not be possible to provide all the necessary space and facilities within the current site.”

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The Courts Service said they were aware of the issues, but said account must be taken of the limited funding available to the Courts Service and the cost of any remedial works to improve accessibility and facilities in Tralee.

The letter stated that it is proposed to build a new Courthouse in Tralee, subject to securing a suitable site and “this will enable the Courts Service to provide improved facilities for all users and also allow the issue of accessibility to be addressed comprehensively.”

Labour Cllr, Terry O’Brien, was very disappointed with the response.

“For me personally, the Courthouse is a fabulous building. Access to  the building is something we should be shouting about. Elderly people and people with prams don’t have proper access. I signed the papers to go for the 2007 general election in the jail cells – maybe it would have been better if I’d stayed there – but I signed them there because I couldn’t get access to the Courthouse. I’m tempted to commit a crime  just to get in there!” he ended, on a light note.

Cllr Pa Daly said that many court sittings in villages around the county had ended and questioned where the money saved there has gone. He said Tralee is one of the only Courthouses of its size in the country which has not seen refurbishment in recent years.

THE state of Tralee Courthouse on days of district court sittings has been severely criticised by Judge James O’Connor yesterday.

A report by Anne Lucey in the Irish Times says the judge called it the most awkward court in Kerry and Cork and he would no longer tolerate the filth and noise on district court days.

He said the noise from the large hall was disrupting the Wednesday court sittings while people were hanging around the steps “smoking and yapping” for long periods of time.

The judge called on gardaí present to co-operate and keep order in the hall, which he said is littered with cigarette butts and coffee cups on district court days.

The imposing courthouse, which was built in 1835, is one of the only courthouses in the country which has not been refurbished internally in the past decade and has been a topic of debate in Tralee Town Council and Tralee Municipal District meetings in the past number of years.

Wheelchair access still has not been installed while councillors called for the exterior to be properly maintained and to be lit up at night as it is such an architecturally important building in the town.