Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

If the advice I received is correct, it appears that the constitutional prerogative of the court to be free to take action would be undermined and that it would be required to accept a chief superintendent's evidence, in the absence of any other evidence, as to the likelihood that an applicant will commit offences on bail and be then required to refuse such bail. If the Tánaiste provides categorical assurances that this was not his or the parliamentary counsel's intention or if he can indicate whether he would accept any other form of words that might make his intentions clearer, I would be more content.

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