Herald Opinion: Roscommon Courthouse must not be allowed to fade into decay
The courthouse in Roscommon Town. Pic. Gerard O'Loughlin
Roscommon Town’s historic courthouse is more than a building in need of repair. It is a landmark of civic life, a protected structure, and a visible reminder of the county town’s role at the heart of public service, local democracy and justice over many generations.
Confirmation that €350,000 has been allocated for preparatory works is welcome. After years of concern, and since the building’s closure by the Courts Service in December 2022 on health and safety grounds, any progress, however, small is a step in the right direction. The appointment of a design team to prepare a Strategic Assessment and Preliminary Business Case is an important first step.
But it must be only a first step. Preparatory funding will help define the scope, scale and requirements of the project, and will assess feasibility, affordability and value for money. Those processes are necessary, but they will mean little unless they lead to a firm commitment to restore and reuse the courthouse.
The danger is that we will be left watching reports, assessments and business cases accumulate while the fabric of the building continues to deteriorate.
Inspections by the OPW, including assessments of the roof and interior, underline the urgency of the situation. A historic building cannot be preserved by good intentions alone. If water, structural problems or neglect are allowed to take further hold, the eventual cost to the taxpayer will only rise.
Roscommon Courthouse has stood through changes in local government, public administration and community life. To allow such a building to further decline would be a travesty.
Funding decisions must recognise that heritage and essential public services are not competing priorities. With proper investment, the courthouse can again serve a practical purpose while protecting an important part of Roscommon’s built heritage. Restoration would be a statement that Roscommon deserves modern services housed in buildings that respect their history.
Once the business case has been completed with this funding Government, and the relevant agencies must move quickly to provide the capital investment needed to secure the building’s future.
