Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 35: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prosecutions to date under Section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act regarding juror or witness intimidation. [16786/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1999 makes it an offence to harm or threaten or in any other way intimidate or put in fear another person who is assisting in the investigation by An Garda Síochána of an offence, or is a witness or potential witness or a juror or potential juror in proceedings for an offence, or a member of his or her family, with the intention thereby of causing the investigation or the course of justice to be obstructed, perverted or interfered with.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that separate records are not maintained of offences under section 41 as between those directed against witnesses and those directed against jurors. Accordingly, the information available from the Gardaí covers both categories of individuals. The Deputy will appreciate that, of their nature, instances of intimidation of jurors are less likely to come to notice than instances of witness intimidation. The Gardaí rigorously enforce the provisions of the law relating to witness and jury intimidation and, of course, will continue to do so.

The table below shows the position with regard to the number of proceedings commenced and convictions for offences under Section 41 of the 1999 Act for the period from 2000 to 16 June 2011.

*Figures are provisional as they are recorded in respect of the year in which proceedings commenced and may change in light of the outcome of court proceedings.