Urgent investment required to restore and retain Court Services across Donegal

North Inishowen Councillor Albert Doherty has issued a strong appeal to the Department of Justice and the Office of Public Works (OPW), urging both bodies to provide the “essential state investment” needed to allow the Courts Service Building Committee to begin immediate works on courthouses in Carndonagh, Buncrana, and other locations across the county.

Speaking at November's plenary meeting of Donegal County Council, Cllr Doherty welcomed confirmation that the council will formally write to the Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan regarding the matter. He stressed the need to recall how the situation has deteriorated over recent years.

Cllr Doherty recounted that on 4 March 2019, local public representatives were informed by a legal professional in Inishowen that Carndonagh Courthouse would be temporarily closed on health and safety grounds due to the poor condition of the building, “principally its roof.”

The correspondence at the time warned that constituents would be forced to travel to Buncrana for sittings and stressed the historical importance of the courthouse building itself, cautioning that it would inevitably fall further into disrepair if abandoned.

Cllr Doherty said those fears have been borne out: “It is my contention this morning that since March 2019, Carndonagh Courthouse building has been abandoned by those with a responsibility to fix the roof.”

He added that recent comments from  Buncrana solicitor Ciaran MacLochlainn suggest efforts may be underway to centralise all Inishowen court sittings in Letterkenny—an outcome he described as unacceptable for rural communities.

Cllr Doherty argued that rural residents—from Malin Head, Moville, Glengad, and Carndonagh—should not be expected to travel long distances for court sittings currently being accommodated in Buncrana.

He also highlighted similar concerns regarding Buncrana Courthouse, where repairs to the walls of the historic building remain outstanding.

Quoting Judge Monika Leitch from a recent sitting, he added:

 “I have seen how important it is for the lifeblood of the community that local courts are kept open… justice must be seen to be administered within the midst of these local communities.”

Cllr Doherty said this principle must guide the urgent repair of both Carndonagh and Buncrana courthouses.

The motion was seconded by Cllr Noel Jordan, who said Donegal Town is now experiencing the same decline in its courthouse infrastructure.

A couple of months ago, the court services in Donegal Town closed their doors, and it’s frightening to think that we are at this stage,” he told members.

Cllr Jordan said he had been contacted by staff who had repeatedly reported serious issues regarding the building. As a result, all sittings have now been transferred to Ballyshannon as “it got into so much disrepair, they had no other choice but to close the doors.”

While acknowledging Ballyshannon’s facilities, Cllr Jordan insisted that Donegal Town requires the return of its courthouse: “It’s a vital service for the town, and it brings in a lot of people while being good for the economy too.”

The Sinn Féin councillor criticised the OPW for allowing the building to deteriorate to the point of closure, adding that although consultants have been appointed to assess the damage, there is growing concern among court staff and members of the legal profession that the facility may never reopen.

“The only statement that the OPW has made on this matter is that they said that they were sending a consultant in to assess the damage done.”

“However, the OPW were well aware of the condition of the courthouse in Donegal Town. That's what I worry about, that they let it go so far that they will have to close the doors on it.”

Cllr Jordan called on the OPW to make a clear public statement not only on Donegal Town Courthouse but on all courthouse facilities in the county referenced by his party colleague. 

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Concluding, Cllr Doherty reiterated that the Carndonagh building and Donegal Town premises, which only closed in recent months, were initially described as temporary closures, yet no progress has been made.

“There have been studies conducted, completed, and what we need is essential state investment that allows restoration, refurbishment, and retention of services in Donegal,” he said.