Courtroom
What will occur in Clones if the Courthouse is closed has already occurred in other towns. Austerity, though the centralization of all services to the main towns in the name of efficiency, will kill the smaller towns in Ireland; but does this concern the Decision Makers and the Strategists in the Courts Service of Ireland?
In my earlier BLOG I had illustrated how the closure of Clones District Court would affect a mother in a domestic violence situation. Such a closure could however affect many people, including local businesses. I tell this from the perspective of John, a local restauranteur.
Feeding the Masses
Up to this John has had a fairly steady trade, despite the economic recession. Thank God that there have been various calendar events throughout the year which have not depended on the Celtic Tiger, where John has been able to expect regular trade. One of those events is the local District Court. On the day of the Court John can expect a lunchtime trade where people who are attending the Court also attend his restaurant for lunch. This would include the solicitors, the Gardai, and even the Judge would visit for lunch. Indeed, this familiarity with the restaurant and the good service which John and his staff provide has led to these same people organizing other events in his premises throughout the year.
But John wasn`t the only one who benefitted from the local court. Other businesses throughout the town, including the supermarkets, chemists and retail shops benefitted from the increased footfall in the town on the day.
But when the Court closed
All of this trade has however now stopped. The very people who gave custom to John and other traders on Court days now give that custom to other businesses in Monaghan town. John has also been told by other traders and professionals that, ever since the closure of the Court, those people who were once happy to transact their business in Clones because of their historical connection to Clones now no longer do their business in Clones. They are now being directed to Monaghan. This can often be as simple as a person deciding to get their groceries now in Monaghan town, rather than Clones, because that is the town where they will now go to see their solicitor. People change habits very quickly.
And other changes also occurred
John was told by another trader how the loss of further custom arising out of the closure of the Court was the straw that broke the camel`s back for his business. That trader has since been obliged to close his business and recently, to add insult to injury, was obliged to attend the District Court in Monaghan town to answer to his Creditors. He could not even get local justice! What he also related to John was how he had been told that the Court in Monaghan was now much busier than before the removal of the Court List from Clones to Monaghan. This led to extreme inconvenience for him because of the adjournment his cases on a number of occasions, necessitating many return journeys to Monaghan town, which he could ill-afford.
And the Chamber got involved
The closure was discussed at a Chamber of Commerce meeting in the town. None of the traders realized that the closure of the local District Court could have had such a devastating effect on their livelihoods. How could the Courts Service have done this to a town that had already been so economically deprived over the years? Had the Court Service Personnel done no investigation on how the lives of the people in the affected towns would be changed?
You think this story is unbelievable?
What will occur in Clones if the Courthouse is closed has already occurred in other towns. Austerity, though the centralization of all services to the main towns in the name of efficiency, will kill the smaller towns in Ireland; but does this concern the Decision Makers and the Strategists in the Courts Service of Ireland?
To get a living example of how the town of Cupar in Scotland was affected by the closure of its local Sheriff`s Court (the equivalent of the Irish District Court) and the removal of its List to Dundee Sheriff`s Court. I recommend that you read this Article “What do forthcoming Court closures mean for Fife business” by Robert Millar in Business Law.
I rest my case.