Solicitor welcomes much-needed €100k allocation to refurbish Buncrana Courthouse

Buncrana solicitor Ciaran MacLochlainn has welcomed the announcement of State funding to restore the historic Buncrana Courthouse, describing the investment as a much-needed step toward addressing the building’s deteriorating condition.

The Office of Public Works has allocated €100,000 to carry out repair works on the courthouse, which has stood at the centre of the town for centuries but has become increasingly rundown in recent years.

Mr MacLochlainn said the funding will help to reverse years of neglect and improve the appearance of the landmark building.

He explained that the allocation will allow for essential external works, including replastering and repainting the outside of the courthouse. The interior of the building has also suffered damage over time, with paint peeling from the walls due to long-standing dampness.

Mr MacLochlainn said it is important that the project moves forward quickly, adding that further upgrades will also be required inside the courthouse in the future.

“We are anxious to keep the pressure on to get this work carried out as soon as possible,” he said. “Urgent modernisation works are needed inside Buncrana Courthouse too, including facilities for online videolink evidence.”

While welcoming the funding, he also raised concerns about policies within the Department of Justice and the Department of Finance, which he believes have led to the closure of rural courthouses in parts of the country. Mr MacLochlainn said such facilities play an important role in supporting local economies.

“Rural courthouses bring a much-needed economic boost to towns around the country,” he said.

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Mr MacLochlainn also praised the efforts of those who helped highlight the need for restoration work. He said a number of legal professionals formed the Donegal Court Restoration Group to campaign for improvements to courthouse buildings in the county.

“This has been brought about by a number of individuals,” he explained. “We set up a group called the Donegal Court Restoration Group, and a number of my colleagues are involved in that group, not only in relation to Buncrana Court but also in relation to Donegal Courthouse.”

He added that the group is now focusing on securing restoration funding for Carndonagh Courthouse, where no allocation has yet been made.

“The next place we are working on now is Carndonagh Court. No allocation has been made yet, so we’re trying to put more pressure on the Department to commence restoration works in Carn too,” he said.

Mr MacLochlainn also acknowledged the support of the local media and the Law Society of Ireland, which published an article about the issue in its Gazette after the matter was highlighted in the local press.

He also praised the efforts of the local Buncrana Tidy Towns volunteers, who have helped improve the appearance of the courthouse grounds by placing and maintaining colourful flower boxes outside the building.

Meanwhile, Mr MacLochlainn revealed that the Minister for Justice has indicated a willingness to carry out repairs to the ceiling at Donegal Courthouse, with hopes that those works will proceed in the near future.