Council meets Law Society over its Opposition of Lisburn Courthouse closure
February 19, 2016
Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s Mayor, Chief Executive and Elected Members of Council met with the Law Society for Northern Ireland about the closure of Lisburn Courthouse, as announced by the Justice Minister.
As part of its opposition to this decision the Council immediately sought a meeting with the Law Society of Northern Ireland.
The Council is united in its opposition to the loss of Lisburn Courthouse which would see the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council area the only city council area to have no courthouse. As part of the Department of Justice consultation process the Council put forward options for the enhanced use of Lisburn Courthouse; including its retention for family and children’s court services. There are a host of local services integrating across and around Lisburn Courthouse as well as three prisons in the area and a Probation Board,
Councillor Thomas Beckett, Mayor, said: “Lisburn Courthouse is an integral part of the life and economy in Lisburn. This decision has widespread impact on the area concerning its long-term sustainability and growth. We do not consider that the £140,000 cost saving of closing Lisburn Courthouse has been fully assessed; and it is our view that there will be a loss of many times that figure to the local economy.
“We will be seeking further discussions with our community planning partners, with specialists in this area to fight this decision. In addition, the closure announcement was made only a few days after the formal consultation period closed and the speed of the closure announcements is one that concerns us greatly. Lisburn Courthouse is a priority for the Council.”
Chief Executive, Dr Theresa Donaldson, said: “The closure announcement will affect victims who must go through the legal system and who will have to go outside of their area to overcrowded courts. It will affect legal service providers in the area, complimentary organisations and local businesses, so the knock-on effects will cascade across the economy.
“The Council has embraced its new community planning powers and our responsibilities in this area will now see us, with council approval, voicing our continued opposition in the strongest terms.
“The safety of our communities, support for families caught up in the often bewildering and complex legal systems, supporting public and private services in the city area and gathering support for our objective to fight for Lisburn Courthouse will underpin how we move forward.
“I would like to thank the President of the Law Society, Mr John Guerin; its Chief Executive, Mr Alan Hunter and Mr Frank Geddis, Head of Research and Policy for meeting with the Council, listening to our concerns and for the benefit of discussions with them,” Dr Donaldson concluded.
Commenting the President of the Law Society of Northern Ireland, John Guerin said: "The Law Society is grateful to Mayor, Chief Executive and Councillors from Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council for meeting with the Society. The closure of Lisburn courthouse will undoubtedly cause great disruption, inconvenience and unnecessary stress to court users and those seeking access to justice.
The Society believes that Instead of serving to improve the efficiency of the justice system and protect access to justice, it will undermine the effectiveness of the system and leave those that need it most without access to their local court.
The impact of the court closure will be felt most within the local rural community where access to public transport services is limited, incomes are lower and levels of unemployment and social deprivation levels are much higher. It does not serve the interests of justice to leave communities without access to local courthouses or to endanger the future of businesses in local town centres".