Juries (Protection) Act, 1929

Exclusion of public during calling of panel.

4.—Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Principal Act, the following provisions shall apply to and have effect at every sittings of the Central Criminal Court and every sittings of a Judge of the Circuit Court for the trial of criminal issues, that is to say:—

(a) On every day of such sittings on which the registrar of the Court is required by the Principal Act to call over a panel (whether original or supplemental) of jurors under section 46 or under section 47 of the Principal Act, such registrar shall attend in the Court for one half-hour immediately before the hour appointed for the commencement of the sitting of the Court on that day and it shall be lawful for every person who is required by law to attend the Court on that day as a juror to attend before such registrar during the said half-hour and request such registrar to record his attendance and upon such request being so made to him such registrar shall record in such manner as he thinks fit such attendance of such person;

(b) When calling over in pursuance of section 46 or sub-sections (2) and (3) of section 47 of the Principal Act the names of the jurors entered on a panel (whether original or supplemental) of jurors, the registrar shall not call the name of any such juror whose attendance he has previously recorded under the foregoing paragraph of this section on that day unless he has reason to believe that such juror has since his attendance was so recorded left the Court and not returned thereto, and whenever the registrar refrains under this paragraph from calling the name of a juror he shall take such steps in relation to such juror as he would be required by the Principal Act to take if the name of such juror had been called and such juror had answered thereto;

(c) No person shall be admitted to or be present in the Court while the proceedings directed by section 46 of the Principal Act or the proceedings directed by sub-sections (2) and (3) of section 47 of that Act or the proceedings directed by paragraph (a) of this section are being had (whether in relation to an original or to a supplemental panel) save only the Judge presiding at the sittings, the officers of the Court, members of the Gárda Síochána on duty in the Court, and persons who have been summoned to attend the Court as jurors at such sittings, but nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as requiring the presence of the Judge while the proceedings directed by paragraph (a) of this section are being had;

(d) Save while the proceedings directed by section 46 of the Principal Act or the proceedings directed by sub-sections (2) and (3) of section 47 of that Act or the proceedings directed by paragraph (a) of this section are being had, every person attending the Court as a juror shall (whether he has or has not been sworn as a juror) be called, addressed, and referred to for all purposes in the Court solely by the number by which he is distinguished on the panel of jurors from which he is drawn and no such person shall be called, addressed, or referred to in the Court by his name nor shall the address or description of any such person be called or mentioned in the Court.