Arvagh Court to close despite local opposition

While locals in Arvagh are still holding out hope that the monthly District Court sitting there will continue, a spokesperson has confirmed that the Court Service Board decided at its October meeting to amalgamate the Arvagh sitting into Cavan District Court. 'This decision followed a review of court business in Arvagh, which took account of demographic, social and infrastructural changes in the area. The amalgamation of the Arva sitting - which heard a small number of cases for a half day on the fourth Wednesday of the month - will allow for an additional full sitting day in Cavan, thus providing the region with much improved court timetables each month,' said the Courts Service spokesperson. Speaking to The Anglo-Celt on Tuesday, Eamonn Gray, of The Breffni Arms Hotel, Arvagh, expressed his opposition to the move: 'It"s another service that will be gone out of the town, one that has been here for about 100 years. The community was shocked when we heard it, particularly after thousands of euro being spent on refurbishing the building, which is brand new.' Fine Gael Senator Joe O"Reilly said he had 'discussions' with Judge McBride last week about the closure 'I expressed the concerns of the local community,' he said. 'Judge McBride was very understanding and sympathetic. He fully appreciated the concerns of the locals. However, he pointed out to me that new garda divisions had been drawn in Longford and Leitrim that impacted on the amount of business the court would have. Generally when the court was last sitting, there was no more than an hour"s business. He has no difficulty in principle with there being a court in Arvagh but those practicalities were the problem,' said the Senator. Contacted by the Anglo-Celt, Judge Sean McBride said he was precluded from making a comment on the issue. However, formal speeches were made last Wednesday at what Judge McBride announced would be the final sitting of Arvagh District Court. Continued on page 2.