grand juries

grand juries, introduced as part of the administrative system imposed on Ireland following the Anglo‐Norman invasion, became the primary organ of local government in the Irish counties. The high sheriff was responsible for nominating a jury of between 12 and 23 men from amongst the leading property owners in the county, excluding peers. Catholics were excluded until 1793 under the penal laws, and even after that date there were complaints that they were rarely selected.

One function of the grand jury was to rule on the validity of indictments at the twice‐yearly assizes held in each county. Only after the jury had found a true bill could the case go to trial. In 1634 the grand jury was also empowered to levy a local tax to pay for the upkeep of roads and bridges in the county. Its taxing powers gradually extended to cover matters such as the building and repair of jails and courthouses (1708), and the establishment of county infirmaries (1765). In the early 19th century statutory responsibilities regarding the provision of lunatic asylums and fever hospitals were imposed on grand juries by government. Few checks were made on how money was spent, and as expenditure levels increased so did dissatisfaction with a system which many believed to be both corrupt and inefficient. Reforms in 1818, 1833, and 1836 reduced the opportunities for abuse and allowed cess payers a limited role in authorizing expenditure.

Grand juries remained the preserve of the landlord class, and as such never enjoyed popular support in Ireland. They were relieved of their administrative functions under the Local Government Act of 1898, but retained their role in criminal proceedings. Grand juries were abolished in independent Ireland under the Criminal Justice Act of 1948, but survived at assizes in Northern Ireland until 1969.

Bibliography

Crossman, Virginia , Local Government in Nineteenth‐Century Ireland (1994)

Virginia Crossman