Judge reiterates need for second courtroom at Roscommon courthouse
The temporary courthouse in Roscommon which only has one courtroom.
A local district court judge has again criticized the lack of a second courtroom in the new temporary courthouse in Roscommon Town.
There is only one courtroom in the new building meaning that during the sittings of the circuit court, the Roscommon District Court has to move to Castlerea.
The new temporary courthouse first started to be used in December 2022. Previously Judge James Faughnan said that he had alerted the Courts Service of the need to have two courtrooms before the €1.5 million refurbishment of the former Fairyland Dance Hall, on the Racecourse Road.
During today’s sitting of Roscommon District Court, Judge Faughanan repeated that it was not good enough for the people of the county town to have to have their legal cases dealt with in another town. He also highlighted that the acoustics in building, which is a former dance hall, were poor and that it was difficult for him to hear submissions from solicitors.
He added that the costs involving in moving the sitting to Castlerea was “beyond me”, and he hoped that other organisations would raise the matter with the Court Service. He was informed that members of the local bar association were meeting later this week and that the matter would be discussed.
“This cannot continue,” he said. He said that Roscommon District Court would be sitting in Castlerea five times “that we know of” this year.
“It would cost little or nothing to erect a wooden structure outside,” he added, saying he has suggested this to the Court Service.
