Court complex update threatened by proposed park

The Court Service of Ireland has written to local authority CEO Owen Keegan to object to council proposals to rezone part of the site for use as a recreational and open space public park, which they said came as “a complete surprise”.

Currently the site is due to be developed as “a centre of excellence for family law courts, children’s court and support facilities”.

In their letter, the Courts Service said the rezoning would have “an immediate and possibly harmful effect”.

Brendan Ryan, CEO of the Courts Service, told The Irish Times: “If it is adopted by the city council it will curtail the provision of world-class family law courts and family support services in central Dublin.”

Mr Ryan said that the update for the complex was essential as the Courts Service are currently using unsuitable venues across the city to house domestic violence, child protection, guardianship and marital breakdown cases.

He said: “We need to utilise all of the footprint on this site for the services we wish to offer, and for which we already have Government approval, in principle, to build.”

Mr Ryan added: “Those who seek protection, redress and resolution from appalling family situations need a world-class family law centre – which we anticipate will be up and running in 2020.

“If a portion of this site is made inaccessible for our use, the services that we intend to provide on the site will be inevitably curtailed.”