asked the Minister for Justice how witnesses expenses are computed.
Written Answers. - Witnesses' Expenses.
205.
Expenses payable to witnesses for the State in court proceedings fall into three categories, depending on whether the persons concerned are professional witnesses, expert witnesses, or lay witnesses.
Professional witnesses are persons who become involved in a professional capacity prior to the hearing and who give evidence on matters of a professional nature. Expert witnesses are witnesses who, because of their special status or qualifications, are called upon by the State to give evidence in serious cases. Lay witnesses are persons who give evidence as to the facts or circumstances of a case.
A scale of expenses payable to professional witnesses has been established and it is altered from time to time in the light of representations. The expenses of an expert witness are determined by negotiation with the person concerned.
In the case of lay witnesses a scale of expenses has been established on the principle that they should be sufficient to save the poorer witness from loss. Moreover any salary or wage earner may, on production of an appropriate certificate from his employer, be recouped any permanent loss of salary or wages that he may have incurred by attending court as a witness. I am at present reviewing the scale of expenses payable to lay witnesses.