Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 3 October 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality

General Scheme of the Irish Prison Service Bill and of the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Bill: Discussion

Ms Sara Phelan:

Briefly, I might comment on the expert witness question. The Bar is very much of the view that whether an expert witness is required is a matter for the administration of justice. Therefore, it is very much a matter for the judge to decide whether an expert witness is required and whether legal aid should be extended for an expert witness.