New court complex will form part of €875m justice investment

A new state-of-the-art Family & Children’s Court complex will be built in Dublin as part of an unprecedented €875 million capital funding package for the justice sector.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said the €875m investment in An Garda Síochána and the Courts Service would help bring Ireland’s policing and courts infrastructure into the 21st Century.

The new building, together with additional courtrooms for the Supreme Court and other court offices, will be delivered at a site on Hammond Lane in Dublin through a public-private partnership.

Ms Fitzgerald said: “It is only right that as we update our laws, we should also update our Courts infrastructure. I am very conscious of the concerns expressed by the judiciary, legal practitioners and victims groups in relation to the poor state and set-up of many Family Court facilities. The need of a new state-of-the-art family law and children’s complex in Dublin has been a key priority for me as Minister.

“I am delighted to now be in a position to confirm that a Family Law and Children’s Courts complex will be delivered at Hammond Lane as part of a new PPP project.

“I wish to thank my colleague, Minister of State Simon Harris and the Office for Public Works for their support and hard work in supporting and planning for this important project.”

Another €10 million has been allocated to the refurbishment of existing court buildings.

Funding has also been provided for a new forensic science laboratory outside Lucan, which will be designed to “meet the realities and demands of 21st century criminal investigations”.

Ms Fitzgerald finished: “These investments will deliver significant improvement to the way public services are delivered in the justice sector and all the projects will be subject to robust governance and oversight.”