Ballymena amongst five courthouse closures announced by Justice Minister

TUV leader Jim Allister has told the Justice Minister he has 'kicked Ballymena when it was down' with his announcement that Ballymena Courthouse is to close.
Ballymena Courthouse. INBT02-213ACBallymena Courthouse. INBT02-213AC
Ballymena Courthouse. INBT02-213AC

Minister David Ford announced in the Assembly on Monday that five courthouses are to close - Armagh, Ballymena, Lisburn, Magherafelt and Strabane.

It is understood he told the Assembly on Monday that his decision was based on “unprecedented financial pressures” and the underuse of courthouses.

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Mr Allister said: “When David Ford made his announcement on the closure of courthouses I told him I was dismayed that he had kicked Ballymena when it was down. After hundreds of job losses the Justice minister moves in and robs North Antrim of its last remaining courthouse.

“The same department spent £1.7m upgrading Ballymena courthouse and now it decrees it must close. Where is the economic sense in such a Jekyll and Hyde approach?

“Let him tell us how many consultees supported his destruction of Ballymena’s court?

“Once more the Stormont executive has failed the local people and left them bereft of a much valued facility.”

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Last week, the CEO of Mid & East Antrim Council, Anne Donaghy, told councillors that the NI Law Society were “very concerned” about the future of Ballymena courthouse and had called for an urgent meeting involving herself and the Mayor to discuss the matter.

In November 2015, a report on Northern Ireland’s courts recommended that a number of them should be closed.

The recommendations were in a paper published by the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service (NICTS), which was given to the justice committee.

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