GOVERNMENT TD’S IN SLIGO AND ROSCOMMON HAVE HIT OUT AT PLANS TO CLOSE THE COURTHOUSES IN BALLYMOTE AND BOYLE.

THE COURTS SERVICE HAS AGREED THAT DISTRICT COURT SITTINGS SHOULD END NEXT JANUARY IN KILTIMAGH, BOYLE AND BALLYMOTE, WITH THE KILTIMAGH & CLAREMORRIS COURT SITTINGS BEING MOVED TO CASTLEBAR – A MOVE WHICH HAS ANGERED A NUMBER OF POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVES HERE IN MAYO.

IN NEIGHBOURING COUNTIES, THE PLAN TO MOVE BOYLE COURT SITTINGS TO CARRICK-ON-SHANNON AND BALLYMOTE COURT SITTINGS TO SLIGO IS ALSO BEING OPPOSED.

BALLYMOTE-BASED JUNIOR MINISTER JOHN PERRY SAYS IT MAKES NO SENSE, GIVEN THAT THE BALLYMOTE COURTHOUSE WAS REFUBISHED RECENTLY, AT THE EXPENSE OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.

MINISTER PERRY HAS SOUGHT A MEETING WITH THE COURTS SERVICE TO TRY AND SAVE THE FACILITY.

AND ROSCOMMON FINE GAEL TD FRANK FEIGHAN HAS HIT OUT AT PLANS TO END DISTRICT COURT SITTINGS IN BOYLE, AND TRANSFER THEM TO CARRICK-ON-SHANNON.

THE COURTS SERVICE HAS ADMITTED THIS WOULD SAVE €12,500 PER YEAR, AND DEPUTY FEIGHAN IS QUESTIONING THE FINANCIAL SENSE OF SUCH A MOVE.