Plans for new Laois courthouse in Portlaoise languish in money limbo

The long saga over the building of a new Laois courthouse in Portlaoise has taken another twist in the shape of the latest update on funding the project.

The Office of Public Works is the State agency responsible for building the modern new courthouse which would meet the needs of court users while eliminating anti-social behaviour in the town centre caused when the court sits. Traffic issues on Main Street would also be addressed.

The project is committed to in the Government's national development plan. Taxpayers' money has been spent on a site and a design so Laois Offaly TD Brian Stanley sought an update in June from the OPW. A site was identified in 2017 and purchased in 2020.

Ciaran O'Connor, State Architect, replied to Dep Stanley when the OPW appeared before the Public Accounts Committee in the Dáil. It monitors public spending.

"The site has been bought by the Courts Service but, as of now, it has no capital funding to advance the project," he said.

Dep Stanley, who chairs the PAC, commented: "The cash is not there for it. There is still no cash".

Mr O'Connor said builders would begin work on the family court near Four Courts in Dublin next year.

"We did that for the Courts Service. We would do the same in Portlaoise but the funding must be executed to go ahead," he said.

Mr O'Connor said the site in Portlaoise is part of the next tranche "to be done" but there is no funding for it. He added that it's planned to separate the family court from the main court area in the new building which will be a similar courthouse in Letterkenny.

Laois Offaly TD Charlie Flanagan opened the Donegal Courthouse in 2018 as Minister for Justice. The court was built as part of a €140 million public-private partnership that included several other buildings. 

“The Government has prioritised reform of the courts. It is only right that, as we reform and update our laws and our legal system, that we update our court structure," said the Fine Gael TD at the time.

Dep Stanley was not happy with the status of the Laois project which appears in limbo since.

"The situation at the moment is very unsatisfactory," he said.

Dep Stanley outlined first-hand experience of the project.

"I went in just before the election to collect documents regarding the election from the county registrar. I was looking at people who were there to deal with separation and divorce cases. They are there in the public area and a whole lot of other stuff is going on around them," he said.

Dep Stanley said the project would need political movement.

It previously emerged that a site for the courthouse had been acquired near Laois County Council's HQ.

The existing Portlaoise Courthouse on Main Street in Portlaoise is about 240 years old. It has been renovated in recent years but there are just two court chambers which are used for Circuit and District Courts sittings as well as family law and civil matters.

The Courts Service has acknowledged that the building on Main St is no longer fit for purpose. The Service and Laois County Council worked together to procure a site for a new building.

Its use was restricted during the Covid-19 pandemic due to the lack of space.