Courts of Justice Act, 1953

Power to create, vary, abolish districts and areas.

26.—(1) It shall be lawful for the Minister from time to time, as he shall consider expedient, by order to do all or any of the following things:—

(a) vary or abolish any district court district,

(b) create any new district court district,

(c) vary or abolish any district court area,

(d) create any new district court area,

(e) vary the class or classes of business for which any district court area is delimited,

(f) alter the places or vary the days or hours for the time being appointed for holding the District Court in or for any district court area.

(2) (a) Whenever the Minister makes an order under subsection (1) of this section, he may make provision for securing the continuation and completion of any business transacted in the District Court which is initiated before the commencement of such order and is not completed before that date.

(b) For the purposes of this subsection, business transacted in the District Court shall be regarded as being initiated on the day on which the summons, warrant, process or other originating document relating to it is issued.

(3) The abolition of a district court district under subsection (1) of this section shall operate to terminate any assignment then in force of a justice to that district and such justice may be permanently assigned at any time to another district court district by the Government.

(4) References in section 64 of the Act of 1936 to section 47 of the Act of 1926 shall be construed as including references to subsection (1) of this section and the District Court Districts (Dublin) Order, 1945 (S.R. & O., No. 279 of 1945), shall have effect accordingly.