President signs controversial bills into law

[Ringo]

The Defamation and Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bills have become law, after being signed this morning by President McAleese.

Last night, the President met 19 of the 22 members of the Council of State for nearly three hours to discuss whether to refer the two Bills to the Supreme Court to test their constitutionality.

During their passage through the Oireachtas both Bills were the subject of considerable controversy.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0723/crime.html

Very surprised, these weren't refered to the Supreme Court.

[dahamsta]

She's a Fianna Failure, the reference to the Council of State was aesthetic. But they will be referred to the SC, in time.

[John83]

Sure half the council voted for those bills in one or other of the houses anyway.

Looks like it's up to Atheist Ireland to test the blasphemous libel law in court.

Meanwhile, I guess we'll have to wait until the Criminal Justice Bill is used by the Gardaí before we get to see if it'll hold up. I've seen nothing from the ICCL to suggest they'll do more than condemn it in another press release.

[dahamsta]

DRI is more likely to do something about the Justice idiocy. I don't donate to the ICCL any more, they're a waste of space.

[Ringo]

Sure half the council voted for those bills in one or other of the houses anyway.

Looks like it's up to Atheist Ireland to test the blasphemous libel law in court.

Meanwhile, I guess we'll have to wait until the Criminal Justice Bill is used by the Gardaí before we get to see if it'll hold up. I've seen nothing from the ICCL to suggest they'll do more than condemn it in another press release.

The Taoiseach, Mr Brian Cowen TD
The Tánaiste, Ms Mary Coughlan TD
The Chief Justice, The Hon Mr Justice John L Murray
The President of the High Court, The Hon Mr Justice Richard Johnson
Ceann Comhairle, Dáil Éireann, Mr. John O'Donoghue, T.D.
Cathaoirleach, Seanad Éireann, Senator Pat Moylan
The Attorney General, Mr. Paul Gallagher, SC

(ii) PERSONS - subject to their being able and willing to act - WHO HAVE HELD CERTAIN OFFICES - Art. 31.2. (ii) of the Constitution

Ms Mary Robinson (former President)
Mr. Liam Cosgrave (former Taoiseach)
Dr. Garret FitzGerald (former Taoiseach)
Mr John Bruton (former Taoiseach)
Mr. Albert Reynolds (former Taoiseach)
Mr Bertie Ahern (former Taoiseach)
The Hon. Mr. Justice T. A. Finlay (former Chief Justice)
The Hon. Mr Justice Ronan Keane (former Chief Justice)

(iii) PERSONS APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT - Art. 31 Sections 2 (iii) and 3 of the Constitution

Colonel Harvey Bicker
Ms Anastasia Crickley
Ms Mary Davis
Professor Denis Moloney
Mr. Martin Mansergh, T.D.
Mr Enda Marren
Ms Daráine Mulvihill

http://www.president.ie/index.php?section=19&lang=eng

Not very independent of the government at the moment

[Sheridan]

President and Council of State should be impeached if a bill they pass is later found to be unconstitutional.

[John83]

President and Council of State should be impeached if a bill they pass is later found to be unconstitutional.

You need a 2/3 majority of the Dáil or Seanad to impeach a President. That'd be a remarkable hypocrisy considering they passed it too.

[Ringo]

You need a 2/3 majority of the Dáil or Seanad to impeach a President. That'd be a remarkable hypocrisy considering they passed it too.

Never under estimate the hypocrisy of our politicians.

[Da Real Rover]

The SPCC has been around for years though.
Nothing new really, only that they will be convicting criminals instead of Republicans.
Now that its acceptable to send Criminals to the Kangaroo court in order to secure convictions can we send sex offenders, rapists etc.
Werent the DPP saying how difficult it was to secure the convictions of Priests and Clergy who molested, raped and tortured thousands of children can we not send them to the SPCC also?
Is it not also true that the SPCC costs the Irish state E5,000 for every day it sits in penalties from the EU for its complete lack of legality.