Mattie McGrath
Question:302. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the working group to examine and report on the jury system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30349/18]
View answerTuesday, 10 July 2018
Questions (302)
Written answers
As mentioned by Deputy McGrath, the Working Group on Jury Service is examining the issues raised in the Report of the Law Reform Commission on Jury Service published in 2013 [LRC 107 – 2013] along with any relevant associated material and will make its own recommendations. The examination includes the concerns raised by the Law Reform Commission in 2013 such as those relating to how representative juries are of their communities, the wide group of people who can at present be excused as of right from jury service; juries serving in lengthy or complex criminal trials; the reasonable accommodation of persons with disabilities to serve as jurors; the implications of on-line internet activity and wireless technology for the work and conduct of juries and issues of remuneration arising from jury service. The Working Group will consider some additional areas relevant to the reform of policy in this area including, for example, its constitutional aspects and the overall fit of the existing legislative architecture provided by the Juries Act of 1976 as amended which sets out relevant law in this jurisdiction particularly in terms of qualification and selection for service as a juror.
The membership of the Working Group, which is chaired by my Department, is drawn from senior officials of the relevant Divisions of the Department of Justice and Equality, the Courts Service, Forensic Science Ireland, An Garda Síochána and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Its inaugural meeting took place on 30 April 2018 when it had an initial opportunity to discuss its proposed Terms of Reference and gave its first consideration to the Draft Juries Bill and the other aspects of the Law Reform Commission Report of 2013. The current focus of the Working Group is on engaging in a work programme based on that approach. The conclusions of the work of the Group will form the basis of a report and a draft General Scheme of a Juries Service Bill building on the initial draft for such a scheme proposed by the Law Reform Commission in its 2013 Report. This represents a substantial body of work given that the Commission's Report made 56 recommendations of which 32 are expected to require legislative intervention.
While the time-frame of actions to be taken on foot of the Working Group’s deliberations will be dependent on its specific findings and recommendations the aim would be to have the anticipated General Scheme of a new Juries Bill, subject of course to receiving the necessary Cabinet approval, early in 2019.