Vol. 503 No. 3
495 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason for the long delays in bringing a murder case to court (details supplied); the reason a date for this case was cancelled with only three days' notice to the family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10143/99]
As the courts are subject only to the Constitution and the law, independent in the exercise of their judicial functions, the Deputy will appreciate that it is not open to me to intervene or comment on the conduct of any individual case.
However, I have had inquiries made in this matter and I have been informed that this case was returned for trial in the Central Criminal Court in mid-1998. The case was entered in the first available list to fix dates, on 30 July 1998, and a date for trial was fixed for 8 March 1999.
An application to take this case off the list for trial was only made to the court on 26 February 1999. The application was granted and the case was adjourned to the next available list to fix dates on 25 March 1999. On that day a new trial date of 12 January 2000 was fixed, which I understand was the earliest available date.
