Cavan court earmarked for audio visual upgrades

Cavan Courthouse has been identified by the national Courts Service for further investment in new conferencing technology.

At present, only the Circuit Court room is equipped with audio and video facilities, meaning that the presiding judge in the District Court must reconvene across the main hall in order to deal with applications from prisoners linking in with proceedings from jails across the country.

At the same time, the Courts Service has scotched any suggestion that it is exploring the idea of closing Virginia Courthouse. Virginia Court has been sitting in Cavan during the current pandemic to better manage social distancing and facilitate safe hearings.

In 2019 a spokesperson for the Courts Service said the office is “mindful” of the need to improve matters locally. This included the need to invest in new technologies. The current pandemic has further highlighted the need for that investment.

The first case conducted via video-link occurred at Cavan District Court in April last year and required Judge Denis McLoughlin to swap his usual sitting courtroom for another, where audio-visual media resources were available.

In the interests of public health and the health of all those engaged with the administration of justice, the Civil Law and Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020 was passed to allow for a much wider use of remote hearings than in the past. It also extends the use of video link evidence in a number of criminal matters.

Cavan District Court is one of the only regional courtrooms in the country where video conferencing technology is not presently available.

However, this is expected to change, according to the latest update from the Courts Service, obtained by The Anglo-Celt.

A spokesperson confirmed that Cavan has been “identified for further investment” in video conferencing technology.

“This will involve upgrading the system currently operating in the Circuit Court and installing the technology in the District Court for the first time.”

While “no definitive date” for completion of this work has been outlined, the upgrade is expected to take place later this year. “Cavan is one of over 40 installations planned for 2021,” the spokesperson added.

Virginia District Court avoided the cull on court sittings in 2014 that included Ballyconnell and Clones in District Number 5 as part of an ongoing review by the Courts Service.

Virginia, which hears cases for the Bailieborough Garda District, is well-regarded by the Court Service in previous assessments with almost 3,000 cases disposed of annually.

The courthouse in Virginia was also only recently significantly refurbished.

The courts spokesperson explained: “At the start of pandemic, many smaller courthouse venues around the country were closed and court operations were centralised in larger courthouses. This was done on safety grounds as, in smaller venues, it can be very difficult to maintain social distancing.”

They further stated: “Virginia courthouse was one such venue but this measure is temporary. When the pandemic subsides, we expect Virginia courthouse will reopen.”