Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her response. I tabled this question because the LRC's report, which was published last January, is extensive and contains many useful proposals on how the law of evidence could and should be reformed. It is important to note that this is not just an issue of interest to people operating in the courts. We want to make the laws of evidence more efficient so as to ensure that the courts can become more efficient in how they handle cases.

The Minister mentioned that a number of consultative papers had been published in advance. They dealt with issues such as expert evidence, documentary and electronic evidence, hearsay evidence and consolidation of the evidence Acts. In particular, we should consider the issue of expert evidence, which has become a significant part of all civil and certain criminal litigation. It is important that experts who are retained by any side in a criminal or civil trial be aware that their overriding duty is to the court as opposed to being hired guns for either side.

See this speech in context