Cllr Declan Burgess hopes an upcoming consultation process involving all stakeholders in the Court Services in the county will see a decision to move District Court sittings from Cashel and Carrick on Suir to Clonmel Courthouse reversed. The decision is currently due to take effect on November 1st.
The Cashel based Councillor says he has contacted both the Courts Service and the Minister for Justice to ensure the proposed move announced by District Court Judge Brian O’Shea, the presiding Judge for the Districts, will be cancelled. Judge O’Shea who lives in Kilkenny is critical of the standard of the building in Cashel as regards dampness, public waiting spaces and toilets. The building is owned by Tipperary County Council.
Cllr Burgess is adamant that it is unacceptable for Cashel to lose it’s court service similar to Tipperary town due to a lack of investment in Court facilities. The change would see access to justice being made more difficult, the town would lose the economic benefit of the 33 days per year the court sits and it would also be inconvenient for local Gardaí, traffic wardens, and solicitors alongside plaintiffs and defendants according to the Councillor. The Courts Service has been contacted for comment on this matter.
