A unit in the new Courts Service Centralised Office, located in Castlebar Courthouse, will facilitate the service of documents relating to cases where one of the parties is based in another EU member state, including extradition cases and civil and commercial matters.

As of yesterday, all new requests for service of EU documents under EU Regulations (EC) No 1393/2007 should be sent to the Service of EU Documents Unit, Courts Service Centralised Office, Combined Court Office, The Courthouse, Castlebar, Co Mayo.

A spokesperson for the Courts Service of Ireland said: “This project arises from implementing the results of a major court office review. It is the first of a few planned initiatives to cross the line.

“There will be further centralisation of functions in this Castlebar office, such as the administration of jury service nationally, being based there in the coming months.

“We are centralising in Castlebar and not in the capital, in line with the wishes expressed by the staff in a consultation process; in pursuing Government policies regarding regional balance; and in light of our analysis re: the availability of space with a scope for extension.”

The Courts Service said the creation of the dedicated unit will benefit users by allowing for the development of expert knowledge; enhancing the quality and consistency on the handling of applications; providing a single point of contact for queries; allowing the prioritising of urgent childcare applications; and allowing for the close monitoring of its function and resourcing.