No new criminal trials will get underway this month due to surging coronavirus figures.

The Circuit Court President Patricia Ryan this evening confirmed that no jury trials will begin in the Central or Circuit criminal courts until February 1st at the earliest.

Trials that were due to get underway in the coming weeks will be pushed back until later in the year.

She said the courts would continue to hear all other matters – including sentencing hearings, arraignments and bail applications.

Trials

Meanwhile, all Circuit Court family law and civil matters will be adjourned until later in the year – with a judge available to hear all urgent applications.

Earlier today, the High Court President Mary Irvine said no criminal trials would take place this month with any due to get underway to be adjourned to a later date.

Trials that are already underway are permitted to continue “subject to strict compliance with public health guidance.”

The same rules will apply for the Special Criminal Court where two planned trials have been put back until February at the earliest.

The Supreme Court and Court of Appeal will continue to the majority of their work remotely.

Hearings

In the District Court, all criminal hearings scheduled from January 11th onward will be vacated and relisted for mention in March 2021 to fix new dates.

Hearings involving alleged domestic violence offences, hearings where the accused is in custody and hearings involving only state witnesses will proceed where it is safe to do so.

The District Court remains open for “essential business” with limits on the numbers of people permitted in any court building or court room at any one time.

Only people who have been summoned to court or who have business listed before the courts are permitted to attend court buildings.

File photo of Croke Park, 18-03-2020. Image: Brian Lawless/PA Archive/PA Images

It means the €740,000 deal to rent Croke Park for criminal trials will be pushed back until later in the year.

The deal, which involves a €437,000 payment to the GAA and €302,000 in other costs, was expected to see trials hosted in the historic venue from January to March.

A Courts Service spokesperson said the contract includes a stipulation that allows the deal to be delayed in light of new Government guidelines – with no penalty to the taxpayer.

In a statement, the Courts Service and the Judiciary said the situation would be “kept under review on a regular basis.”

They said remote hearings would continue where possible with remote capabilities to be extended to courts across the country in the coming weeks.

The courts will continue to give priority to matters involving domestic violence applications.

Anyone attending a court or court office to conduct legal or court business will continue to be recognised travelling for essential purposes.