OFFICIAL OPENING OF NEW €3M FERMOY COURTHOUSE

- The Minister comes by Chopper - the mayor on a bike! -

Fermoy almost came to a standstill when the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform Brian Lenihan TD visited the town for the official opening of the Fermoy Courthouse on Monday last.

There were a few grumbles when the majority of parking on Ashe Quay was reserved to accommodate the minister and his entourage, but the pomp and ceremony of the occasion took over and seemed to appease anyone who had complaints. The minister arrived by state helicopter shortly before 12 noon.

It was a very different situation for Mayor of Fermoy William Hughes who arrived on a bicycle. The minister who was accompanied by new Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy first paid a long overdue visit to the Fermoy garda station to witness firsthand the appalling conditions the 80 or more staff members have to endure day in, day out.

All gripes were soon put aside when the Fermoy branch provided a guard of honour at the door of the courthouse for the minister who accepted it graciously before conducting a tour of the new facility. Accompanied by mayor of Fermoy William Hughes, mayor of Cork County Tom Sheahan, Fianna Fail TD Ned O’Keeffe, Michael Ahern TD, as well as numerous members of the Cork and Fermoy councils along with members of the court service, the Minister was very generous in his praise, not only for the new courthouse, but also the town.

“Clearly Fermoy can take great pride in this building, I was also most struck by the monument outside (the Michael Fitzgerald monument), such sacrifice helps us remember all that is good, that the court system sprung from our own people,” said the Minister.

He continued by adding that his main priority was to provide justice for the people.

"The public often think the law is arcane and removed from them, we must show otherwise,” he added.

In his address Judge Patrick Moran, expressed his personal satisfaction at welcoming everyone to such an occasion, “It gives me great pleasure on behalf of the Chief Justice, and chairman of the board of the Courts Service and on behalf of the board itself to welcome you all to Fermoy for the opening of this fine, and wonderfully restored forum of justice – a 200 year old building befitting of the effort and tenderness which has been invested in its refurbishment.”

He also congratulated the Minister on his appointment and wished him well on his future duties. This was his first courthouse opening.

"I wish him well in his important, onerous and very challenging ministry. Everybody in the Courts Service has been very impressed with the interest the Minister has shown in our work and his encouragement and support as expressed by him.”

He then directed his praise to the building and its purposes, “This great new and old space is an innovative and accommodating facility – reflecting the seriousness of the work of the courts, and a merging of the modern with the traditional. It brings to Fermoy a fine seat of justice and a reinvigorated, landmark public building, which has stood here in various states of repair since 1808. It works as part of a dedicated civic complex which reflects the major role the town plays in the regions economic and public sphere", Judge Moran concluded.

Almost €3 million was invested in the courthouse. The new building provides significantly more accommodation and facilities than were available in the old building and allows for universal access.

The accommodation includes: two courtrooms, judge’s chambers, a family law suite, a victim support room, and consultation/waiting rooms. New prisoner accommodation, including cells and a secure interview room with accommodation for garda and the prison service, secure car parking, and cell accommodation has also been included in the extended building.

Special thanks were extended to the Cork county architects, the conservation architect Jack Coughlan and Associates, the design team, and the main contractors Brian McCarthy Ltd. Cork County Council, county manager Mr Martin Riordan and his staff, in particular Greg Collins, were also afforded special mention.

 

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