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06 Sept 2025

Louth has no further special court sittings due to staff shortages

A shortage of court staff is to blame for no further special sittings being held in Louth to clear a backlog of cases

Louth has no further special court sittings due to staff shortages

Dundalk courthouse

Reporter:

Court Reporter

13 Mar 2024 12:33 PM

A shortage of court staff is to blame for no further special sittings being held in Louth to clear a backlog of cases, Dundalk district court heard last week.

They can be held on stand-alone days or on occasion over the course of a week in either Dundalk or Drogheda.
At the moment, a further 26 special sittings of the District Court are due to be held in County Louth between January and May.

However, Judge Eirinn McKiernan last Wednesday revealed that she cannot get any special sittings on staffing grounds "even though there are judges".
It is planned to run a second Circuit Criminal Court in County Louth in the coming months which will also be supported by the Dundalk Court Office. 
This change coincides with the retirement of Kevin Segrave B.L as Prosecutor in Louth after 22 years.
Given the workload involved two barristers are being hired to replace him.
In a statement, the Courts Service said: "The extra Circuit sittings, and the 26 planned additional District Court sittings, would limit our ability to support any further District Court special sittings at present. 
"The Courts Service is examining ways to support even more sittings from within our current resources and in line with prudent management of public expenditure."

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