Belfast’s International Convention Centre (ICC) is to be used to support the work of the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service (NICTS).

Stormont justice minister Naomi Long (pictured) has welcomed the opening yesterday (4 January) of the first such venue in the North to facilitate courts business.

The centre is the latest high-profile venue on the island to be called into service to support the work of the courts, with Croke Park being used by the Courts Service.

Jury assembly

Due to new COVID-19 restrictions introduced by the Northern Ireland Executive for six weeks from 26 December, all NICTS activity at the ICC is being phased in and will take place only after all necessary risk assessments have been completed.

Only jury assembly is taking place at the venue this week, but it will also provide flexible accommodation for Coroners Court hearings, tribunals business, pre-hearing consultations and jury deliberations.

Minister Long said using the venue would help the NICTS to make further inroads into the case backlog which built up during 2020, as well as freeing up other courtrooms in the Laganside Court complex that are being used for jury deliberation.