Public consultation in Laois on €2 mill revamp of old village Courthouse

Laois County Council will host a public meeting in Borris-In-Ossory to consult the community on the proposed renovation of the former Courthouse in the Laois village.

Laois County Council, working with Borris-In-Ossory Community Development Association  are in the process of adapting the former courthouse building and site in Borris-in-Ossory, to form a new digital hub.

An architect-led design team was appointed by the council in  2022, and as part of the design process, a consultation will be held in the Old Boys School Hall on the Main Street of Borris-In-Ossory. Initial design proposals will be on display and members of the county council and design team will be in attendance to discuss the proposals with members of the local community.

Cllr Conor Bergin, Fine Gael, gave further details.

"Ambitious plans are being considered by the Council for the old Courthouse, which it is hoped will include a digital hub, community centre and local area office for the Council. The renovated courthouse will be served by high-speed fibre broadband, and I am hopeful that it will also have a state-of-the-art meeting room which will be available to community groups and local clubs in the area. There has been a need for a new community centre in Borris-In-Ossory for years to support the many local clubs in the area," he said.

As Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council in January 2022, Cllr Bergin said €212,332 was secured for the renovation of the Courthouse under Category 2 & 3 of the Rural Regeneration Development Fund. He outlined the overall cost.

“The overall renovation cost is estimated to be in the region of over €2 million and the plan is that the Council will apply for further funding from the Department under the next round of the Rural Regeneration Development Fund, hopefully later this year for Phase 2 of the project. I am delighted however to confirm that the wheels are in motion and the Courthouse will finally be renovated after 20 years of being a derelict building. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

"The development of a digital hub to accommodate people working in the public sector in the Courthouse is directly in line with the recent strategy announced by the Government last year to enable more public servants to work remotely, particularly in rural areas. I believe that this project will have massive benefits and help revitalise the village in Borris-In-Ossory, which has suffered from dereliction and unemployment in recent decades and could act as a prototype to be rolled out in other rural villages around the country," he said.

Cllr Bergin said the courthouse was built in 1835 and has a significant place in local history and is part of the heritage of the area. He said  Charles White, the High Sheriff of Laois insisted that the Courthouse should be built facing in the direction of his home at Charleville, in the parish of Ballaghmore.

He added that 'Petty sessions', as they were known operated in the Court in the early 1900s and it held the status of District Court until the late 1960s. The original courthouse roof was burned off during the War of Independence in 1921.

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"The premises have been derelict for almost 20 years and this project will hopefully both renovate a derelict building in the village and provide a 21st century state of the art community centre and new remote working facility. I also understand a number of local people have various rare and historic memorabilia and artefacts from the Courthouse, which they would gladly donate to any exhibition or local history project which could be undertaken in the Courthouse once renovated.

"It is envisaged that once the courthouse is fully renovated, the Laois County Council area office will relocate back to the building – meaning that the Council once again have a permanent base in the village.

"I would encourage everyone living in the area with an interest in the future of the courthouse in Borris-In-Ossory, along with community groups in the area to attend the meeting’’ Cllr Bergin concluded.

The public meeting takes place on Wednesday, March 29 at 7pm