Upcoming Events

National | Crime and Justice

no events match your query!

Blog Feeds

The Saker
A bird's eye view of the vineyard

offsite link Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz
Alternative site: https://thesaker.si/saker-a... Site was created using the downloads provided Regards Herb

offsite link The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker
Dear friends As I have previously announced, we are now “freezing” the blog.? We are also making archives of the blog available for free download in various formats (see below).?

offsite link What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker
by Mr. Allen for the Saker blog Over the last few years, we hear leaders from both Russia and China pronouncing that they have formed a relationship where there are

offsite link Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader
2023/02/27 19:00:02Welcome to the ‘Moveable Feast Cafe’. The ‘Moveable Feast’ is an open thread where readers can post wide ranging observations, articles, rants, off topic and have animate discussions of

offsite link The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker
Pepe Escobar for the Saker blog A powerful feeling rhythms your skin and drums up your soul as you?re immersed in a long walk under persistent snow flurries, pinpointed by

The Saker >>

Public Inquiry
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005

offsite link RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail?supporter? Anthony

offsite link Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony

offsite link Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony

offsite link RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony

offsite link Waiting for SIPO Anthony

Public Inquiry >>

Human Rights in Ireland
Promoting Human Rights in Ireland

Human Rights in Ireland >>

Lockdown Skeptics

The Daily Sceptic

offsite link Be Ready to be Shocked and Offended at University, Students Told as Free Speech Law Comes In Thu Jun 19, 2025 13:00 | Will Jones
Students should be ready to be shocked and offended at university, Government free speech champion Arif Ahmed has said, as he warned universities they face fines from August if they fail to uphold free speech.
The post Be Ready to be Shocked and Offended at University, Students Told as Free Speech Law Comes In appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link J.K. Rowling Radicalised by TERFs, Says Stephen Fry Thu Jun 19, 2025 11:15 | Will Jones
J.K. Rowling has been "radicalised by TERFs", Sir Stephen Fry has claimed, as he branded his former friend a "lost cause". Trans people are "hurting and being abominably treated", he said.
The post J.K. Rowling Radicalised by TERFs, Says Stephen Fry appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Ed Miliband is Losing the Fight for Net Zero Thu Jun 19, 2025 09:00 | Ben Pile
Ed Miliband is confident he's "winning the fight for Net Zero". His assurance is misplaced, says Ben Pile. It's based on a growth in 'green jobs', but they come at the cost of entire sectors in other parts?of?the?economy.
The post Ed Miliband is Losing the Fight for Net Zero appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Pointless International Research ? Paid For By You, The Taxpayer Thu Jun 19, 2025 07:00 | Charlotte Gill
From Weaving Our Own Justice in Colombia to Theatre-Making in Kenya, there seems no end to the international research projects lavishly funded by you, the hard-working taxpayer. Charlotte Gill compiles her top 10.
The post Pointless International Research ? Paid For By You, The Taxpayer appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link News Round-Up Thu Jun 19, 2025 00:22 | Richard Eldred
A summary of the most interesting stories in the past 24 hours that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy about the ?climate emergency?, public health ?crises? and the supposed moral defects of Western civilisation.
The post News Round-Up appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

Lockdown Skeptics >>

Should we abolish TDs' immunity from arrest (if coming to/from Dail)?

category national | crime and justice | opinion/analysis author Tuesday May 28, 2013 17:48author by Congalltee Report this post to the editors

immunity of politicians to arrest while in the dail

Should we abolish TDs' immunity from arrest (if coming to/from Dail)?

Article 15.13
"The members of each House of the Oireachtas shall, except in case of treason as defined in this Constitution, felony or breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest in going to and returning from, and while within the precincts of, either House, and shall not, in respect of any utterance in either House, be amenable to any court or any authority other than the House itself."

This was a measure which was highly relevant in the context of the 1930's (dictatorships replacing democracies, Ireland's scrape with fascism led by the former Garda commissioner/leader of the Blueshirts). It is a bit like the clause about judge's pay being upward only - of it's time.

Should it be repealed in an era of the Garda ombudsman, press oversight, civil courts providing damages for false imprisonment?

Should it only apply to TDs going to the Dail for votes? (Senators not being as critical and TDs leaving the house are at less risk of unlawful interference by the Gardai - if such a risk actually exists).

How has the abolition of felonies and misdeamours affected the section?

For those who check their law books, the immunity is only from arrest and a summons could be sent after the incident eg if on a mobile, or not waiting to be waved on. Nor does it apply exclusively to driving?

Or, should political accountability be employed for those who abuse it? (Eg non-arrestable offence, not waiting to be waved on, abusing the gardai, covering up an offence)?

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/varadkar-in-bid-to....html

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/the-politicians-wh....html

http://www.thejournal.ie/parliamentary-privilege/news/

http://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/ryle-dw....html

author by davepublication date Tue May 28, 2013 17:56author address author phone Report this post to the editors

I didn't realise a TD was granted immunity from arrest,that is news to me.

I would like to see this abolished without a doubt.

This country has more inequalities than i previously thought.

But the problem is i don't see TD's passing laws to make it so.

Without some form of political will that comes from dail eireann itself,i don't see this being abolished.

We dont live in a democracy,it is an illusion. The political power is in the hands of the privledged few in the dail - it is certainly not in our hands anymore.

 
© 2001-2025 Independent Media Centre Ireland. Unless otherwise stated by the author, all content is free for non-commercial reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and elsewhere. Opinions are those of the contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by Independent Media Centre Ireland. Disclaimer | Privacy