John Gormley
Question:167 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his plans to introduce legislation regarding perjury; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12849/03]
Written Answers. - Proposed Legislation.
Perjury, that is, the giving of false evidence on oath or affirmation, is an offence at common law, although a number of statutes also address matters incidental to the offence. The offence is committed by any person lawfully sworn as a witness or as an interpreter in a judicial proceeding who wilfully makes a statement, material in that proceeding, which he or she knows to be false or does not believe to be true. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for seven years.
I am examining the present law relating to perjury in the context of false and exaggerated claims on which I will shortly publish legislative proposals. The Deputy may also wish to note that the question of putting common law offences, such as perjury, on a statutory basis will be one of the issues considered by the expert group on codification which is at present examining approaches to codification of all substantive criminal law in a new crimes Bill.
Question No. 168 answered with Question No. 149.
Question No. 169 answered with Question No. 135.