Two Kerry politicians have written to Minister for Justice seeking a virtual meeting to urgently discuss proposals to relocate Tralee courthouse.
Independent TD Michael Healy Rae and Independent councillor for the Tralee Municipal District Sam Locke have sought the meeting.
They brand the proposals an example of not listening to people.
The Court Service is proposing to develop a new courthouse on the former Denny site in the town.
This site was gifted to the people of Tralee by Kerry Group, which operated the Denny bacon factory there until 2008.
Both Deputy Michael Healy Rae and councillor Sam Locke have written to Minister for Justice Helen McEntee seeking a meeting, via video call, to urgently discuss these proposals.
Deputy Healy Rae says an informal consultation process on this site drew 800 submissions from members of the public in 2016 and not a single person wanted a relocation of the courthouse to the site.
He says it’s beyond belief that this process is being ignored; he adds it’s a case of history repeating itself as the whole situation was becoming a shambles.
Meanwhile, councillor Sam Locke believes the Tralee courthouse could remain in Ashe Street, where it’s currently located, if the Government explored the opportunities in the vacant buildings adjacent to the current site for office spaces and if they made an effort to tackle the complaints about lack of wheelchair access.
