Sinn Féin MP John Finucane has written to the Justice Minister to ask what measures have been put in place for court houses, police stations and other buildings used by the justice system to operate without putting people at risk during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The north Belfast MP said:

“I have written to the Justice Minister asking her what measures have been put in place at Court Houses to protect the workforce and the thousands, including elderly members and those in the at risk categories of the public who attend them on a daily basis.

“I would call on those people to stay away from the buildings and have called for an urgent plan to be put in place that would enable courts to operate only with urgent business and with a skeleton staff.

“Immediate practical steps can be taken to greatly reduce the risk of transmission and ensure the safety of the thousands of people who attend on a daily basis.

“We need plans in place to deal with prisons and police stations to make sure that no one is put at risk and a plan to protect emergency responders is also required.

“Swift and decisive action is needed to ensure public safety during the Coronavirus crisis.”