Nearly two years for a criminal trial to come to court in Naas - annual report

Kildare residents face significant delays in court proceedings at Naas Courthouse. 

Criminal trials in particular can take nearly two years to come to Naas Circuit Court.

This is the second longest of the 26 courthouses surveyed. Only Letterkenny has a longer waiting time at 104 weeks. 

It then takes another 52 weeks for sentences to be handed down by a judge in the Circuit Court.  

The Courts Service Annual Report 2024 reveals that while digitalisation and legislative reforms are improving access to justice nationwide, pressure on the local courts remains high.

In Naas District Court, average waiting times reached 24 weeks for child care applications, 25 weeks for domestic violence matters, and 27 weeks for maintenance hearings.

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Civil applications wait around 12 weeks to be listed, while adult criminal summonses take up to 42 weeks to reach final disposal - among the longer durations nationally.

At the Circuit Court level, the situation is only marginally better.

Family law matters in Naas average a 26-week turnaround, while civil trials wait 33 weeks.

Criminal trials take 101 weeks - nearly two years - on average, though sentencing hearings proceed slightly faster at 52 weeks.

Appeals from the District Court to the Circuit Court require another 24–35 weeks, depending on the case type.

Across the Courts Service in general, the report attributes some improvement in overall system efficiency to new judicial appointments, courtroom upgrades and better scheduling.