Mayo Circuit Court sittings not moving to Galway

NO Mayo criminal trials will be heard at Galway Courthouse next week, as originally planned.

The Circuit Criminal Court had been due to sit in Galway for two weeks as jury trials cannot not be accommodated in Castlebar Courthouse due to the Central Criminal Court sitting there.

The inadequate facilities at the Galway venue to accommodate such trials was aired before Judge Rory MacCabe when he sat in Castlebar this week.

One defence counsel, Mr. Brendan McDonagh, BL, explained how he was involved in a trial where the accused would have to travel from Cork, while the complainant faced a two-and-a-half hour trip from Belmullet. The trial would potentially last for five days.

As he understood it, there was nowhere for witnesses in Galway Courthouse. That meant people were being asked to travel a number of hours and then sit in their cars for a possible five days.

There were, he added, a large number of witnesses involved in the case.

Given the level of travel involved and the present difficulties he felt it would make it 'unwise' to run the case in Galway and he was seeking an adjournment.

State solicitor Mr. Vincent Deane agreed the prosecution were 'concerned'.

Victims, he said, had expressed displeasure at having to go to Galway at a time when the Covid situation was not as bad as it now is.

Judge Rory McCabe, referring to a different case, said his instinct there was not to deal with it in Galway but he wished to consult with the president of the circuit court.

On resuming his court, he acceeded to a prosecution 'observation' and adjourned the case in which Mr. McDonagh appeared.

All matters listed for Galway will now come before the court in Castlebar which has been dealing with cases where pleas are entered, or fixing dates in the future in respect of contested matters.