New €20 million Letterkenny Courthouse officially opened

The new Letterkenny Courthouse was officially opened today at a ceremony attended by Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan and the Chief Justice of Ireland, Mr Justice Frank Clarke.

The €19.7 million building is the second new courthouse completed under a Public-Private Partnership project announced in 2012.

It is planned that PPPs will deliver new or refurbished courthouses in five further towns and cities across Ireland this year.

Speaking at the opening today, Mr Flanagan (pictured) said: “I am delighted to be here in Letterkenny on this landmark day – the official opening of a new state of the art courthouse.

“As a solicitor in practice for many years, I know this is a significant day for the local legal community. And from a wider community perspective, I am keenly aware of the importance of the local courthouse.

“For some, a court can be an intimidating place as so often the courthouse is a place where life changing decisions occur. The court deals with many different, complex and sensitive issues that affect people’s lives and so to have a local courthouse, a place that is accessible, modern and user-friendly, is really important.”

The minister added: “The opening of this new courthouse in Letterkenny is an example of the Government’s commitment to improve access to justice and it illustrates the work that has been done with the Courts Service and the Judiciary in this regard.

“I am looking forward to the opening of the remaining completed courthouses later this year, with new courthouses in Wexford and Limerick set to be officially opened in the coming weeks.

“These new and refurbished courthouses are a lasting testament to the commitment of the Courts Service Board and the Courts Service staff to the delivery of improved standards and services to all.”