The Mullingar Courthouse, upgraded at a cost of €14.1m, is nearing completion and it is expected the court sittings will resume in Mount Street after almost three years in temporary accommodation at St Loman’s GAA Clubhouse.
At a recent Dáil sitting, Deputy Peter Burke asked Minister for Justice and Equality, Charles Flanagan, the position regarding the ongoing construction work on the upgrade of of the courthouse and when it will be completed.
The official reply to Deputy Burke stated: “In 2012, the construction or extension/refurbishment of seven courthouses, under the Courts Public Private Partnership Bundle (PPP), was included as part of the €2.25 billion Government’s Infrastructure Stimulus programme. I am delighted to inform the Deputy that a significant upgrade and refurbishment of Mullingar Courthouse is currently nearing completion,” Minister Flanagan replied.
He said the extended and refurbished Mullingar Courthouse would provide three modern courtrooms, enabling Circuit and District Court sittings in civil, criminal and family law cases, improved custody facilities, court offices and associated facilities, as well as much improved facilities for all court users in Mullingar. He added that the estimated cost of the capital development project of the Mullingar Courthouse is €14.1 million.
“The Courts Service has advised that the works at Mullingar Courthouse are now in their final stages and are expected to be substantially completed in the coming weeks, after which the building will be commissioned and certified for handover to the Courts Service. Following hand over, the Courts Service office will move back into the courthouse from its current location on Church Avenue, with a view to court sittings resuming in the refurbished building in the autumn.
“In terms of scale, the Courts Public Private Partnership Bundle project is the largest capital building project ever undertaken by the Courts Service, delivering a total of 31 courtrooms and 36,000 m2 of accommodation nationwide. New or refurbished courthouses have already been completed at six locations in various parts of the country – in Drogheda, Letterkenny, Wexford, Limerick, Waterford and Cork. The total capital cost of the Courts PPP Bundle is approximately €149.9 million.” the Minister concluded.
