An agreement has been reached for the purchase of a site which will allow for the relocation of Portlaoise courthouse.
The National Courts Service has made an arrangement with Laois County Council on the purchase of land on the edge of the town centre.
This green-field site would accommodate a large courthouse campus with four separate courtrooms.
It was announced at the monthly meeting of Laois County Council that the local authority will use its own funds to buy a site that is selected by the Courts Service.
The council will be reimbursed at a later stage in full for any costs and expenses involved in purchasing the site.
The new site for the courthouse is understood to be on land behind the Aldi store in Portlaoise.
Access
Access to the courthouse will be provided by the new Southern Circular Route.
Work is to begin on this route later this year, with funding of €35 million announced yesterday for the project which will connect the Abbeyleix and Timahoe Roads.
The issue of the relocation of the courthouse has been a long-running saga, particularly in light of anti-social behaviour in and around there on the day of court sittings.
Gardaí have had to deal with a number of incidents spilling out from the courthouse onto the streets.
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