The Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform (the Tanaiste) has introduced his Criminal Justice Bill 2007 in the Dail. The Opposition HERE and HERE and HERE and civil society groups HEREand HERE have criticised the Minister for, inter alia, rushing the legislation through parliament. We should not forget the general election in the offing, in this context.

It must be a matter of chagrin for, presumably, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties
and this writer, to find they have provided what the Minister believes to be an acceptable rejoinder to these criticisms in that he claims the proposals “…were well aired and analysed in public debates in recent months�.

So that’s OK, then.