The €26 million refurbishment of Cork's courthouse is on target with the building set to reopen by the end of January.
The refurbishment is the most extensive work on any court building in Ireland since the reconstruction of the Four Courts after the Civil War, according to the Courts Service.
"It is now a 21st century courthouse which will hopefully provide for the needs of the people of Cork for the next two centuries," said a spokesman.
The courthouse, which is on Washington Street, is a protected building.
Cork City Council architects succeeded in opening the basement by excavating two feet to give sufficient headroom and lighting with the use of natural light.
"This was managed through the installation of an atrium in the centre of the building which will bring natural light down to the ground floor through a partially glazed floor at first floor level," said the council's executive architect, Mr Neil Purkiss.
The basement will now house the County Registrar's office as well as facilities for some 30 staff.
The building will also contain seven courtrooms, judges' chambers, jury rooms, waiting areas, consultation rooms, a bar room and a press room.
The renovated basement - which came through serious flooding in Cork city centre recently without sustaining any damage - will also include holding cells.
An underground tunnel under the basement has been built to facilitate the safe and discreet movement of prisoners.
The courthouse will also include a victims' support room and family law facilities to ensure privacy for those involved.
There will be universal access so that wheelchair users can gain entry to the building. The courthouse has also been equipped with lifts so that all floors will be accessible to all court users.
The main courtrooms will also include the latest IT facilities, including video conferencing, to allow children, foreign experts and others to give evidence from outside.
The technology will also allow for the visual presentation of documents and other exhibits.
The courthouse closed in June 1994 to allow refurbishment commence.
Since then the Circuit Court in Cork has been operating from a converted premises at Camden Quay, which the Courts Service is renting at a cost of €760,000 a year.
Chief clerk Ms Marian Quinn said the 30 staff, who have been based at Camden Quay for the past five years, are looking forward to the return to Washington Street.
"We are preparing for the move at the moment and it'll be done over a very short period, a matter of days," she said.
Completion of work on the courthouse has been welcomed by the Fine Gael spokesman on justice, Mr Jim O'Keeffe, who reiterated his call for a permanent High Court to be located in the refurbished building when it reopens in January.
"I think there's a very strong case for having a High Court sitting permanently in Cork with possibly one permanent judge and one floating judge. It would be good not just for Cork but all of the south, and would cut down on the need for witnesses and others to travel to Dublin.
