Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 95: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has proposals to reform the law on perjury; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14001/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The offence of perjury is an offence at common law committed by any person who in a judicial proceeding gives false evidence of a material nature. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for seven years. The offence also exists in particular statutes such as the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 relating to personal injury actions.

Although there are no current plans to reform the law on perjury, the Deputy will be aware that the Criminal Law Codification Advisory Committee was established last year under Part 14 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 to oversee the development of a programme for the codification of the criminal law.

While codification of the offence of perjury is not provided for in the Advisory Committee's First Programme of Work for 2008-2009, the offence will be examined by the Advisory Committee in due course.