asked the Minister for Justice if as a means of relieving the burden at present imposed upon persons liable for jury service he will introduce legislation to make civil servants liable for such service.
43.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Jury Service.
40.
Mr. Ryan
Mr. Ryan
asked the Minister for Justice if, having regard to the undue hardship imposed upon ships' radio officers by jury service and the fact that masters of ships and authorised pilots are exempt from jury service, he will introduce legislation to grant like exemption to ships' radio officers.
44.
Mr. Ryan
asked the Minister for Justice whether, having regard to the frequency of objections to insurance officials as jurors in civil cases, he will introduce legislation to debar such officials from acting as jurors in civil cases.
With your permission, a Cheann Chomhairle, I propose to answer Questions Nos. 40, 43 and 44 together.
The terms of reference of the recently-appointed Committee on Court Practice and Procedure include a general inquiry into how the convenience of the public could more effectively be secured by making changes, by legislation or otherwise, in practice and procedure. In particular, the Committee have been asked to consider whether, and if so to what extent, the existing right to jury trial in civil actions should be abolished or modified.
I propose to await the findings of this Committee on the question of juries and jurors before considering the question of altering the categories of persons who are liable for, or exempt from jury service.
41.
Mr. Ryan
asked the Minister for Justice the number of Peace Commissioners in Dublin, and the number of these who have claimed exemption from jury service.
The number of Peace Commissioners in Dublin is 855. Under the provisions, as set out in the First Schedule, Part II, of the Juries Act, 1927, Peace Commissioners are exempted from serving as jurors but are entitled to serve on application. No such application has been made by any Dublin Peace Commissioner in recent years.
Are they all Fianna Fáil?
No; there were quite a number appointed when the inter-Party Government or Coalition Minister for Justice was going out of office.
The poor man had to do something that time.
42.
Mr. Ryan
asked the Minister for Justice the number of jurors required annually in Dublin.
The total number of jurors required annually in Dublin is about 5,000.