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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 23 Jun 1998

Vol. 492 No. 7

Written Answers. - Court Proceedings.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

290 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the proposals, if any, there are to introduce recordings for the purpose of appeals in all criminal cases; and, if so, when this will be introduced. [14767/98]

I assume that the Deputy in referring to replacing or supplementing the existing criminal courts stenography system with sound and/or visual recordings.

The law which governs the existing system is contained in section 33 of the Courts of Justice Act, 1924 as amended by section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1997 and provides that appeals to the Court of Criminal Appeal shall be heard and determined on a record of the proceedings at the trial and on a transcript thereof verified by the trial judge. Accordingly, a record is made of the proceedings in all trials in the Circuit Criminal, Central Criminal and Special Criminal Courts with a view to producing a transcript in the event of an appeal.

Record is defined in the relevant legislation as including, in addition to a record in writing, audio and visual recordings. I have no proposals to amend the law in this regard.

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