asked the Minister for Justice if he will state (a) the number of cases dealt with by the Special Criminal Court to October 31st, 1975 (b) the number of cases dealt with by the Central Criminal Court in the same period (c) the number of days the Special Criminal Court has sat in the period together with the number of actual sitting hours, including time spent by the members of the court considering decisions, other than where the decision or decisions were adjourned overnight or for a period of time (d) the number of days the Central Criminal Court has sat in that period together with the number of actual sitting hours and (e) the number of days the Supreme Court has sat in that period together with the number of actual sitting hours.
Written Answers. - Court Sittings.
84.
I assume that the question relates to the period commencing on 13th June, 1972, the date of the first sitting of the Special Criminal Court and, in so far as the information sought by the Deputy is available, it is furnished on that basis.
No records are kept of the number of actual sitting hours of the three courts referred to or of the time spent by members of the Special Criminal Court considering decisions.
Subject to these omissions, the information sought is as follows:—
(a) 532 cases; (b) 217 cases; (c) 614 days; (d) 431 days; (e) 499 days.