Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the comments of the Deputies. The capacity for a person to excuse oneself continues in the new Bill.

With regard to Deputy Ó Snodaigh's comments, the new language refers to an enduring impairment and removes the reference to an insufficient capacity to read, deafness or other permanent infirmity. That language has been removed and is replaced with "an enduring impairment". It goes on to say "such that it is not practical for them to perform the duties of a juror". That language clearly indicates that if it is practical for a deaf person, a person who cannot read or any people in the other categories of impairment to serve on a jury, they shall do so. I hope this answers the Deputy's concerns in that regard.

As the judgment is reserved in the FLAC case, it is inappropriate for me to comment on it.

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