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By Tom Gillespie Negotiations between Mayo County Council and the Department of Justice on a £2m facelift of Castlebar Courthouse should be completed early in the New Year, it was confirmed last night. Concern had been expressed over a hold-up in having complex transformed into a modern day centre for the administration of justice. Work was to have started earlier last year on the multi-million-pound scheme to remodel the complex which faces onto the town's Mall. Circuit Court sittings have been transferred to Westport and the offices of the County Registrar and Circuit Court Office have been moved out. But no progress has been made ands there is now a fear that the £2m. allocated for the project may go elsewhere. Now the President of Castlebar Chamber of Commerce Mr. Pat Jennings has called on Mayo County Council and the Department of Justice to prioritise the development so that it can proceed in the New Year. Mr. Jennings said: "The Courthouse in Castlebar is obviously an integral part of the Judicial system for the whole county. "At the moment there is funding available from the Department of Justice for the development of the Courthouse. "But according to my information there seems to be a stalling in negotiations between Mayo County Council and the Department as to the development of the complex. "We are calling on both sides to sort out this issue once and for all as it is having a detrimental effect on the development." Mr. Jennings added: "The funding is such that we can have a properly designed Courthouse in Castlebar which will include better facilities for the general public, the Law Society, Judges, Juries and the Gardai. We would have a modern purpose built Courthouse. "But unless the differences between the Council and the Department are sorted out the funding may be diverted into other areas." Mr. Jennings said as part of the Information Age Town project they were looking at the development of the Courthouse and the judicial system in Mayo. "We would envisage that everything in the new Courthouse will be computerised in the registrar system. This is in keeping with out aims as outlined in the Information Town Age document to upgrade all of the operations in the judiciary system", he added. However, Mayo County Secretary, Mr. Padraig Hughes said last night that the refurbishment of the Courthouse and the provision of extra space for the courts has been the subject of ongoing discussions between Mayo County Council and the Department of Justice over the past few years. He continued: "The Courthouse complex plans have been agreed in principal with the Department of Justice. However, as these proposals involve the County Council relocating a number of existing offices, including the regional Laboratory, from the Courthouse, the implications are the subject of discussions with the Department. "Work has already commenced on the regional laboratory on a site beside the fire station in Castlebar and it is hoped that all the outstanding matters will be agreed with the Department of Justice early in the New Year"
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