Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like all other Senators I welcome the recruitment of 550 new gardaí since last September. The first recruitment drive since 2009 began in 2013. This is a welcome increase in Garda numbers because we need gardaí and they need proper facilities and services as well as extra numbers.

I wish to raise and call for a debate on the issue of jury service and those who are called to serve on juries. In a recent case the jury served for more than four months. Certain categories of people are excused from jury service, for example, Oireachtas staff, local authority staff, HSE staff, harbour authorities staff, doctors, dentists and chemists, over a range of occupations, but these are all State jobs as opposed to private sector jobs. This has always been the practice. Jurors are not paid for doing jury service. However, not alone are people out of pocket but they may also have to pay for child care for many weeks and months. I ask for a debate on this issue. Some years ago the Law Reform Commission asked for a review of the voluntary aspect of jury service and whether expenses should be paid to jurors. At least we should discuss the issue to see if this would be possible. It is not fair on self-employed and those employed in the private sector. People lose opportunities for job promotion while they are away on jury service for a lengthy period. Jurors are chosen from the electoral register at random. The Law Reform Commission suggested that the methodology of selection of jurors should include the electoral register for local and European elections in order to allow long-term residents of the State to participate in the jury system. It is only fair that every resident would be entitled to be represented on juries.