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Empty jury box in court room via Shutterstock

FLAC says 'Jury Service' report should include deaf and blind people

While the report expressed concerns over interpreters being present for jury discussion, FLAC have said that deaf and blind people should still be able to take part in non-criminal trials.

FREE LEGAL ADVICE CENTRES (FLAC) have said that it is “regrettable” that proposed jury service changes that have been proposed by the Law Reform Commission do not include deaf and blind people.

The legal human rights body, which has previously taken cases on behalf of deaf persons wanting to serve on juries, said that those currently eligible for jury duty would not be truly representative for as long as it continued to exclude both deaf and blind people.

While the report, which was published by the LRC today, expressed concern at the presence of interpreters during jury discussions, FLAC said that deaf and blind people could still serve on inquest juries and in civil cases like defamation, which do not raise the same concerns as criminal trials.

Senior solicitor with FLAC, Michael Farrell, said that if deaf and blind people were “allowed to serve on inquest and civil juries, the concerns that have been expressed about criminal cases would soon be dispelled”.

Progress to date

In November 2010 Mr Justice Carney in the Central Criminal Court had ruled that a deaf person could serve on a jury with the assistance of an interpreter who had taken an additional oath of secrecy about the jury deliberations.

While the LRC has now called for a further study of safeguards for the use of sign language interpreters with jurors, especially in criminal trials, FLAC said that they believed that this study should be accompanied by practical experience.

Read: LRC report recommends non-Irish citizens for jury duty >

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    Mute Ruby Carter
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    Jan 8th 2017, 5:58 PM

    Who gives a flying coddle

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    Mute Alan Wiley
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    Jan 8th 2017, 6:23 PM

    Why don’t you tell us what we’re allowed to give a coddle about ? Do you watch any Tv yourself ?

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    Jan 8th 2017, 6:23 PM
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    Mute Kirk Van Houten
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    Jan 8th 2017, 6:25 PM

    I don’t think she said your not allowed to give a coddle Alan more asking who does

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    Mute Ruby Carter
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    Jan 9th 2017, 11:54 AM

    That article made my morning

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    Jan 8th 2017, 6:50 PM

    All the best to our irish talent

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    Jan 8th 2017, 6:21 PM

    Negga is superb in Preacher. And a great show too…

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    Jan 8th 2017, 6:28 PM

    How do you pronounce her surname? :O

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    Mute Uncle Monty
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    Jan 8th 2017, 6:39 PM

    The ‘N’ sound is made by the front/top part of the tongue raising and touching the roof of the mouth, nn, nn. The teeth part a bit, the lips are open, nn, nn, and the vocal cords make the sound, nn, nn. For the other sounds, further research will have to be undertaken.

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jan 8th 2017, 11:35 PM

    Think N, then EGG, then A. Job done, faux pas avoided

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    Jan 8th 2017, 7:37 PM

    By order of the Peaky Blinders. ..Murphy should get all awards

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    Jan 8th 2017, 8:31 PM

    @Francais Williams: Can you order the Peaky Blinders to let me present them to him?

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    Jan 8th 2017, 6:37 PM

    Who cares to be honest….

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    Jan 8th 2017, 9:28 PM

    Terrible year for movies

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    Jan 8th 2017, 6:04 PM

    No Ricky Gervais.
    That’s a plus for starters.
    Jimmy Fallon. Is he the guy who robs the kids Holloween candy?

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    Jan 8th 2017, 6:42 PM

    Fallon is poor and disingenuous. Delighted it’s the better Jimmy, Jimmy Kimmel doing the Oscars.

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    Jan 8th 2017, 9:54 PM

    @Seán Domhnall O’Sullivan:
    Jimmy Kimmel, that’s the guy who robs the kids Halloween candy.

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    Jan 8th 2017, 8:18 PM

    Jimmy Fallon + Booze = Epic LipSync Battle!

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    Jan 8th 2017, 11:21 PM

    I can’t wait for the IFTA’s.

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    Jan 9th 2017, 5:46 AM

    Complete and utter rubbish. Mutual acceptance and promotion of mediocrity. Really shameful stuff (excrement)

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