Solicitor accuses Dept of Justice of trying to shut down all Inishowen court sittings

An Inishowen legal practitioner has launched an impassioned plea for the reopening of Carndonagh Courthouse and for much-needed State investment to save Buncrana Courthouse.

Solicitor Ciaran MacLochlainn has accused the Department of Justice of trying to shut down all the court sittings in Inishowen, forcing everyone to travel to Letterkenny instead.

Mr MacLochlainn, who has been practicing law for more than 40 years, was speaking at the most recent sitting of Carndonagh District Court, which continues to sit in Buncrana, with Carn Court having ‘temporarily’ closed in 2019.

The solicitor said it is wrong to expect everyone to travel further and further to attend court sittings.

“To have to drag people from Malin Head, and from Moville or Glengad all the way into Buncrana is wrong.”

“The Department has closed the courthouse down in Donegal Town recently, and we’re trying to push them, with the help of local politicians, to get Carndonagh Court back up and running and get us all back to Carndonagh.”

Mr MacLochlainn fears there’s also an attempt to wind down sittings at Buncrana Courthouse, which has stood since 1840 and urgently needs modernising.

“They’re targeting Buncrana as well. They want us all to get into the car in the morning and drive to Letterkenny, and it’s absolutely ridiculous.”

“We’re trying to get them to repair the walls at this historic courthouse. We had someone here from the Department recently, and we’ve been promised that they would do the place up and make it comfortable, not only for our clients, but also for myself and my colleagues.”

“It’s vital that we can keep Buncrana, and hopefully we can get Carndonagh back too.”

The solicitor made his remarks as he welcomed visiting Judge Monika Leech, who was sitting in Buncrana Courthouse for the first time.

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Judge Leech fully backed Mr MacLochlainn’s calls. She said local courts are essential for towns and villages across the country.

“In my capacity as a movable judge around the 26 counties, I have seen just how important it is for the lifeblood of a community that local courts are kept open – not only for local business, but also because justice must be seen to be administered within the midst of these local communities.”

“It is very important for local towns to have local courts kept open. And I have seen that from Ballyshannon to Bantry, to Dingle and far beyond.”