The Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan TD, has today officially opened the refurbished and extended Waterford Courthouse. The €26m project builds on the original courthouse which dates back to 1849 when it was designed by J B Keane.
Speaking at the opening, which was also attended by the Chief Justice Mr Frank Clarke, the Minister said:
“There’s no question but that the new extension to Waterford Courthouse is going to make a huge difference to those who use it. The new block is 6000 square metres, compared to the old courthouse’s just over 1000 and there will now be 6 courtrooms, compared to the previous 2. So whether a person comes here to work; to seek vindication; to face justice; or as a jury member to pass judgement, everyone will now enter a courthouse which integrates the old and the new, which is open and approachable, and which inspires confidence without being intimidating.”
In 2016 alone, over 7,500 matters were dealt with by the District Court in Waterford across 209 sitting days. Another 634 matters, over 150 days, were disposed of by the Circuit Court sitting in Waterford and Dungarvan. Particular care has been taken in the project to provide appropriate facilities for all those who must attend the Court including victims and vulnerable witnesses.
The Minister added:
“A lot of cases come before the Court each year, cases which represent, for a lot of the people involved, stress. A courthouse is a place where life-changing decisions can occur. It’s a place where complex and sensitive issues that affect people’s lives are dealt with. It can be intimidating and that’s why it is so good to see the additions here. The new Courthouse has a vulnerable witness suite, a victim support room, a legal practitioners’ room, as well as consultation rooms, a jury reception room, enhanced custody facilities and other support facilities.”
Waterford is the fifth new or refurbished courthouse to be opened by the Minister in recent months following Drogheda, Letterkenny, Wexford and Limerick.
The Minister said:
“Waterford Courthouse is part of a €2.25bn infrastructure stimulus programme which included the construction or extension/refurbishment of seven courthouses under the ‘Courts PPP Bundle’. In terms of scale, the Courts PPP Bundle is the largest capital building project ever undertaken by the Courts Service, delivering a total of 31 courtrooms and 36,000 m2 of accommodation nationwide. I hope later this year, Mr Justice Clarke and I will be presiding over the completion of another two substantial refurbishments and extensions in Cork and Mullingar”