Judge says not 'a hope in hell' of dealing with volume of Laois court cases

Portlaoise District Court Judge Andrew Cody has said the level of business at the court sitting is “unsustainable” and another Judge is needed.

Last Thursday, Judge Cody said Portlaoise District Court “is the second busiest court in the country” as he block adjourned road traffic matters. 

He said some District Courts get through 1,000 cases a month but Portlaoise covered 500 in the past a week. “We are doing our best but it is not sustainable at this rate,” he remarked. 

Stating that there were 286 cases on top of seven search warrants, three executed warrants and six prison video links, Judge Cody said “there is not a hope in hell of doing 286 cases.” 

“I have been trying my best. We covered 500 cases last week,” he told the sitting of Portlaoise District Court. 

“I am going to see what I can do to get a second Judge…I hope for next year we get a permanent second part time Judge,” he said.

Judge Cody’s comments were made on the same day the issue of court resources was raised in the Dail with Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee. 

She said: “The fact of the matter is that we do not have enough judges, and we need more. That is clear. That is why I set up the review group. It is important that we understand how many we need and why we need them.”

Minister McEntee was responding to questions from Deputy Martin Kenny. He had asked about the workload being faced by courts in the wake of the Covid restrictions.  

Deputy Kenny said: “Access to justice is a primary need and a primary right that citizens must have. At the end of the day, if we do not have enough judges to carry out the roles that are required, we are simply failing the public. That needs to be recognised.”

Minister McEntee said she had established a judicial planning working group in April 2021. “The working group is going to look at type and number of judges that we have to ensure that there is efficient and effective administration across the system as it currently stands,” she explained. 

The OECD was commissioned to carry out an independent review in support of the working group and their report is with the Minister’s office. 

“I am hoping to meet with the judicial planning working group in the coming weeks, when it will submit the final report to me,” said Minister McEntee. 

“In its final report that will be published in the coming weeks, the group will set out exactly how many judges are needed. Pre-empting that report, over €2 million was allocated in the budget this year to ensure that we can start putting the resources and people in place,” Minister McEntee explained. 

She said work was underway to establish support teams within the court structure and a modernisation programme was being implemented in the courts system.