Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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134. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will bring forward the enactment of statutory offences during misconduct in accordance with the Law Reform Commission's recommendations in 2013 which would enable the Judiciary to direct the attention of jurors to the fact of such an offence and provide appropriate guidance to jurors regarding their role in a criminal trial; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23300/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the Law Reform Commission published a report on Jury Service in 2013 which includes an examination of the law concerning how individuals are selected for jury service and follows on from the Law Reform Commission’s 2010 Consultation Paper. The report contains 56 recommendations covering a broad range of issues relating to jury service, including that juries be given a specific warning not to access the internet during a trial and that such inappropriate enquiries be made a specific offence. A number of the recommendations have cost implications that require careful evaluation and these issues are being fully considered in my Department with a view to bringing forward proposals for amending legislation in due course.