New courthouse opened at Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Michael Mc Dowell T.D. will perform the official opening of Ballyshannon courthouse on Monday October 17th at 2.30 p.m.

The Hon. Mr. Justice Matthew Deery, President of the Circuit Court will host the official opening and will address those gathered in court.

The �1.8 million investment in the courthouse is part of the Courts Service seven year capital building project which has seen 36 courthouses totally refurbished and another 100 upgraded substantially, or benefiting from major maintenance works.

The aim of the program is to provide modern, accessible court facilities which reflect the nature of the work which takes place in court, which provides for the comfort of all court users, and which protects the dignity and privacy of those who seek redress before the courts.

Ballyshannon Courthouse reflects the world class, 21st century services and facilities the Courts Service is providing in centres all across Ireland.

Facilities include a courtroom, judge's chambers, prisoner holding cell with separate access, practitioner's room, waiting areas, universal accessibility, loop induction hearing system (enabling the use of hearing aids with the public address system) and consultation rooms.

Architectural Note
The building uses a similar architectural language to the nearby Garda Station, yet the courthouse and garda station are both stand alone buildings in their own right.

The site is located on a green field site on the outskirts of the town and the building is clearly visible from both approaches along the Bundoran road. The courthouse has a commanding presence.

Although eye-catching, the scale of the courthouse ensures that it is not obtrusive and allows it to become an inherent part of its surroundings.

Works Undertaken
The courthouse is a modern contemporary structure. The materials used were of a high specification both internally and externally, resulting in a pristine finish emanating prestige. It reflects a subtle formality one would expect from an important civic facility.

External elements of the building are detailed in oak to add warmth to the facade. The roof is a zinc standing seam roof. A wall hugs the front of the building leading to the main entrance in a protective curve. There is a marble finish to the expanse of floor in the foyer.

The courtroom
Particular attention was paid to the courtroom itself, were security, access and issues of comfort dictated the layout of the room and the entrances to it. Natural light is provided by a large roof light that spans along one side the room. This light source has an electronically controlled louver so that the light level in the room can be altered. Four large feature uplighters suspended from the ceiling provide plenty of additional light to the room. All four walls are panelled with European oak.

The rear wall incorporates absorbent panels to improve the courtroom acoustics. The furniture is also constructed of European oak, creating a coherent interior which has a modern bright appearance yet is restrained in keeping with the buildings function.

There is an extensive amount of electrical work involved in the courtroom, including microphone system and induction loop hearing system. All the electronic equipment has been incorporated into the building fabric.

Artwork
The artwork in the reception area and on the external wall refers to one of the earliest accounts of 'judgement' in Ireland.

The Artist has used the old Irish text of this legend on the bronze cast externally with the English translation displayed on the 21st century electronic panel within the foyer. The building is a valuable addition to the community and will remain valid and functional for many decades to come.

Those involved in the creation of the new courthouse;

The Estates and Buildings Directorate of the Courts Service namely: Director Brendan Ryan and Principal Officer Shay Kirk.

The Project was managed on behalf of the Courts Service by the Office of Public Works.

HMD Architects Ltd - Architects

Sammon Chartered Surveyors - Chartered Quantity Surveyors

Patrick McCaul - Environmental Consulting Engineers (Mechanical and Electrical Engineers)

Concannon Healy Heffernan - Structural Engineers

Tracey Brothers Ltd - Main Contractors

17/10/05