Opposition to court transfers
By Teresa McGowan
The closure of Ballymote District Court wouldl result in a “loss of respect for the rule of law” it has been warned this week.
Sligo based solicitors and Gardai and business owners in Ballymote are all opposing the proposed shutting down of the court house.
The Court Service are considering moving business in Ballymote and Riverstown courts to Sligo town.
However a spokesperson for Johnston and Johnston Solicitors said that Sligo District Court already over stretched and will not be able to cope with the extra work.
And they added: “This will mean the gardai in Ballymote will be obliged to travel to Sligo for all District Court business and will be delayed for a considerable length of time due to the lengthy lists in Sligo.
“I firmly believe that any proposal to move the court from Ballymote would undermine effective policing in the town. It is also worth noting that a new Garda Station is at present under construction in Ballymote at a cost of €4 million.”
The Superintendent of Ballymote Garda Station, Kevin Ginty, also strongly opposes the move.
In a letter to the Court Service he said: “If your proposal goes ahead this will leave the gardai with just one court per month to deal with all matters.
“These proposed changes will have severe financial and manpower implications for the garda management in Ballymote in future years.”
A spokesperson for the Court Service said there has been no decisions made about the re-organisation - if any - specific court venues are to be amalgamated. “We are currently at the consultation stage of the re-organisation process,” they added.