By Gillian McVeigh
gillian@monaghanpost.com

THE Courts Service has publically announced their search for a new site for the Castleblayney Courthouse to be restored as the situation has become more urgent.

This is an issue that has been raised at both Monaghan County Council and Castleblayney Town Council meetings over the last number of years.

Mayor of County Monaghan, Gary Carville is extremely concerned about the future of the Courts Service in Castleblayney if an alternative site is acquired.

“I believe that the Council is duty bound to make a submission to the Courts Service in response to their call for expressions of interest in providing a site for the Court. It is imperative that the Courts be retained in the town,”

Mayor Carville said.

County Manager, Declan Nelson has agreed to make a submission to the Courts Service on behalf of the County, regarding the courthouse. He has asked senior officials of the Council to explore all the possible funding options, in view of the deteriorating state of the building. These officials will liaise with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

At present, neither the County Council nor Castleblayney Town Council has the resources to undertake this project alone. There is now an urgent need for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley TD, to sanction the loan application that Monaghan County Council made to his Department in 2006 for the restoration of the Courthouse in Castleblayney.

Mayor Carville continued:

“Now that there is a decline in activity in the construction industry and the fall in costs of construction works generally, it is the appropriate time for the Council to be allowed go ahead with the full project,”

“I hope that the Courts Service will look favorably on the submission to be made in the coming days by Monaghan Co Council in respect of Castleblayney. The Council will do all it can to facilitate Court sittings in the interim, until works on the courthouse can be completed, subject to Government approval.”

“Full praise for keeping the campaign on the Courthouse issue going must go to the Board of Castleblayney Community Enterprise Centre as they have kept this issue in focus for a number of years now, despite frustrations that have been put in their way,”

Mayor Carville concluded.