THE President of the District Court was told of the pressures facing the local judicial process when he visited the Mulgrave Street courts complex in Limerick City today.
Judge Paul Kelly met with local judges, managers, senior Gardaí, representatives of the Prison Service, the Limerick Solicitors Bar Association and the State Solicitor to discuss organisational issues, management of case lists, times and routine issues.
The participants, from the local justice community, make up Limerick Court Users Group and it was their first meeting with Judge Kelly.
Part of the District Court President’s role is to allocate judges for special sittings of the court across the country to help manage the various court lists and waiting times.
Speaking after the meeting, he said: “I am pleased to not only be in Limerick, but to actively listen to those of you who endeavour to make the justice system work in the area. There are undoubtedly great pressures of work in this and many other areas of the country.
“I regularly assess where best I can allocate any resources I have available to me for extra and special sittings. I hope to bring and use the information I’ve learned here today to bear on future plans”.
Limerick District Court Judge Patricia Harney outlined the various efforts made in Limerick to keep waiting times to a minimum and to create access to justice with what resources are available.
She spoke of the pressures on the system, and what levels of special sittings might be needed in the near future.
The meeting is in keeping with the ongoing practice of listening to Court User Groups across the country – which feed into any pans the Courts Service and the court presidents have for developing the courts.
