asked the Minister for Justice the average delay in bringing to trial a person who has been charged with a criminal offence.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Trial Delays.
56.
The information sought by the Deputy is not available and could not be compiled without a detailed examination of records in all the Circuit Court and District Court offices throughout the country. This would entail an amount of work altogether disproportionate to the value of the information and in fact in a context like this I do not think that an average figure would have any real meaning.
Delays may, of course, be due to several factors including, for instance, applications by the defence for an adjournment. However, as regards delays attributable to the work of the courts themselves being in arrear, the general position is that, outside Dublin, there are no such delays in bringing persons to trial. In Dublin, there are delays in the Circuit Court and the Central Criminal Court due to a large increase, in recent years, in the number of persons returned for trial.
Subject to the limitations imposed by the present shortage of court accommodation, everything possible is being done to reduce the delays, in Dublin, in bringing accused persons to trial. With regard to the accommodation problem, I indicated to the House last April that I had set up a committee under the chairmanship of the President of the High Court to look into the accommodation requirements of the Dublin courts. I am glad to say that, arising from recommendations already made to me by the committee, a satisfactory solution to the accommodation problems of all the Dublin courts now appears to be in sight. I hope to be in a position very shortly to make a further statement in this matter.
Can the Minister state confidently that there will be a reduction in time in the Dublin area in relation to those on remand awaiting trial?
Yes. The question of accommodation should be solved shortly.
But is accommodation the only problem?
There are not enough judges.
It is to the extent that lack of accommodation limits the number of judges who can sit. When accommodation is available I shall be able to appoint more judges.
While there is no delay outside Dublin in criminal matters, a considerable backlog of civil business is building up on many circuits?
The question relates to criminal trials only. My information is that, while there may be some backlog of civil work in some circuits, it is not extensive and there is no backlog in most circuits.