Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 9 September 2020
Special Committee on Covid-19 Response
Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response
Ms Maura McNally:
Everyone is pointing the finger at me. Unfortunately, that is not a matter for the Bar Council of Ireland or the Bar of Ireland. As I have said, it is up to the Executive and the Legislature. Then we have the final check, which is carried out by the courts. We need to consider the system and how it operates. If there is a fundamental breach of a person's rights in respect of the operation of the system, then the Legislature, during the course of its debates in the two Houses, has the power, authority and ability to address it. The outside check is through the courts, through a challenge or judicial review. The Bar Council of Ireland has no input into that.
Perhaps the Law Society or Trinity College, which have been carrying out the overview, may have an observation in respect thereof.