Reports that the Government plans to establish a second Special Criminal Court this week have surprised practitioners in the non-jury jurisdiction. Legislation enabling such a court exists but has not been enacted in recent years, despite mounting case backlogs attributed to dissident republican activity. The earliest available trial date at the current court is June 2017. Establishing a second court would require locating additional judges and addressing significant practical challenges. The existing Special Criminal Court operates from a specially designed, secure facility at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin. Potential locations for expansion include redesigning other courts or utilising Cloverhill Prison's existing secure courthouse. Legal sources have highlighted resource constraints within the Director of Public Prosecutions' office and An Garda Síochána, which would need additional staff to manage increased caseloads. The court currently has 34 cases listed, with nineteen trials scheduled through April 2017. A notable case involves a Longford man charged with possession of an improvised explosive device, scheduled for trial in October 2016, over five years after the alleged offence.
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