Facilities in Irish courthouses ‘wholly unsuitable,’ lawyers claim

Some crime victims are forced to meet alleged perpetrators as they access a courthouse for their trial, Bar Council says

The Four Courts in Dublin. Picture: Getty

Crime victims at many Irish courthouses are being forced to access trials through the same entrance as alleged perpetrators due to inadequate facilities, leading to “obvious issues” regarding their safety, the Bar Council has warned.

The representative body for Irish barristers has called the facilities in Irish courthouses “wholly unsuitable and inconsistent” and claimed that a lack of adequate security has caused serious safety risks over recent years.

In a submission to the Oireachtas justice ...