Mullingar Courthouse reopens after €14m redevelopment

The Chief Justice of Ireland, Mr Justice Frank Clarke, and Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan attended the official opening of the building on Friday.

The redeveloped building, which dates back to the early 19th century, includes three courtrooms and a new public office, including a family law courtroom on a new floor.

User facilities include a vulnerable witness suite, victim support room, legal practitioners room, enhanced custody facilities, media room, jury rooms and consultation rooms.

Mr Justice Clarke said: “The new courthouse here in Mullingar is built to reflect the best of current thinking on courthouse design, insofar as it is possible within the confines of an historic building. The building is designed and built to be, as far as possible in an historic building, universally accessible and this is an important to those with mobility difficulties and also as a symbol of the accessibility of justice in our community.

“I would like to congratulate and thank all who were involved in this project.”

Mullingar Courthouse is the final building to be redeveloped as part of the €140 million Courts Public Private Partnership (PPP) bundle, which also delivered new or refurbished courthouses have been opened in Drogheda, Letterkenny, Wexford, Limerick, Waterford and Cork.

However, Mr Flanagan said: “While this is the final courthouse in the Courts PPP package, under the Government’s National Development Plan 2018-2027 further new and refurbished courthouses will be delivered in regional cities and county towns including Galway, Wicklow, Portlaoise, Tralee and Roscommon and provincial locations such as a Dungloe and Tuam.

“I very much look forward to these further Courts Service projects.”