Number of sites under consideration for new ‘super courthouse’

By Declan Tierney

There are advanced plans to build a new ‘super courthouse’ in Galway city and a number of sites are currently being considered for this multi-million euro project.

Greenfield sites along with hotels that are no longer operational are being looked at by the Courts Service who plan to provide a state-of-the-art courthouse in the city.

The long-term plan is to close every rural court in County Galway and have all of the court sittings under the one roof in the city.

It will mean a court sitting every day of the week in Galway.

While that is a long-term plan, the Courts Service is currently looking at a number of potential sites around Galway city on which to provide a new courthouse.

A number of years ago a site along University Road was considered, but this proved too expensive at the time and in the meantime it has been developed for residential purposes.

It is also understood that the Courts Service looked at the Ibis Hotel on the Headford Road as a possible location for the new super court as well as the old Corrib Great Southern Hotel on the Dublin Road – close to the proposed new Garda station for the city.

The existing facility at Courthouse Square is no longer sufficient for the current requirements – a fact admitted by the Courts Service as far back as.

It is planned to provide a courthouse with at least eight court rooms along with parking facilities which would be a significant revenue earner for the Courts Service.

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.