Call for relaxation of jury age limits

Age Action has called on the Government to relax the age restrictions on jury service which it says is preventing hundreds of thousands of older people from performing their civic duty.

Under current legislation, people aged over 70 are not allowed to serve on a jury and those aged between 65 and 70 can be excused from service on the grounds of age. Age Action says there are 468,000 people - or 11 per cent of the population - in the Republic of Ireland aged over 65.

It wants the rules to be relaxed so that people aged 70 and over can serve on juries if they wish. Those in the 65 to 70 age group should retain the option of being excused if they wish.

The organisation argues that age is no indicator of ability and that older people, who are generally retired, are more likely to be available for jury duty and bring a lifetime of experience with them.

Age Action points out that less than a third of people called for duty actually attend while a large minority of people who wish to serve, and have time to serve, are barred from doing so.

"Older people feel this is evidence of the State writing them off," Age Action's Head of Advocacy and Communications Eamon Timmins said.

He said the Government committed itself in Towards 2016 to ensuring older people are "encouraged and supported to participate to the greatest extent possible in social and civic life."

Mr Timmins said: "The Government can demonstrate its commitment to its vision in Towards 2016 by relaxing the age ban on jury service."