Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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106. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when she will publish legislation to reduce excessive delays to trials and court proceedings including pre-trial hearings. [18663/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government contains a commitment to bring forward legislation to reduce excessive delays to trials and court proceedings, including proposals for pre-trial hearings. The Criminal Procedure Bill is currently in the drafting process with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel.

The primary aim of the Bill is to reduce delays and increase efficiency and fairness in the criminal trial process. The Bill will in particular provide for new Preliminary Trial Hearings to allow for procedural arguments which arise during trials at present to be dealt with before a jury is empanelled, thereby saving time and allowing juries to focus on the facts of the case.

My Department continues to engage with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel and with the Office of the Attorney General to resolve outstanding issues and to complete the drafting process as soon as possible, taking into account the competing demands of other priority Bills.

I look forward to publishing this Bill at the earliest possible opportunity.