Wicklow Sinn Féin TD John Brady has welcomed the announcement that the former Bray District Courthouse is to receive funding of €340,000 for refurbishment works, through the Community Recognition Fund, following a long running Sinn Féin campaign to secure the transfer of the building for community use.
The Wicklow TD stated his belief that the next step should be to hold a comprehensive consultation process which would invite submissions as to the future use of the former courthouse from members of the public, and community and sports groups.
Brady said:
“Myself and my Sinn Féin colleagues Cllr’s Grace MacManus, and Dermot O’Brien have led out on a long running campaign over quite a number of years, to first off have the former Bray District Courthouse transferred to community use. I am glad to see that funding has been secured to have it brought back up to a usable standard.
Some of the works to be completed include an electrical upgrade, painting, flooring and heating system improvements.
Work planned for the outside includes new windows and doors, along with painting of the full exterior. Work will also have to be undertaken to safely remove asbestos from the former courthouse.
Importantly, a lift will be installed to allow full access to all levels of the new facility.
The former Courthouse building on the Boghall Road in Bray has been vacant since 2006, when court sittings and services were relocated to alternative accommodation.
In October 2020 the Courts Service informed me that the old Bray Court House was surplus to their requirements and that they were willing to transfer it to Wicklow County Council.
I’m delighted that following our successful campaign to secure the transfer of the building for community use, funding has now been secured for the renovation of the old Courthouse.
I believe that the next step which can be undertaken right away is to hold a comprehensive consultation process as was conducted around the old Bray Heritage site, which received 149 submissions, containing many exciting ideas.
It is essential that community, sporting groups and individuals are given the opportunity to put forward submission concerning the future use of the building.
This should be undertaken at the earliest opportunity in order to transfer the building to community use in a timely manner”.
