Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I know why Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are voting to renew the Offences against the State Act. Both parties are long-time supporters of non-jury courts and a range of other repressive measures. The Green Party is voting against its declared principles. Nothing new there. What about Sinn Féin, though? The Sinn Féin justice spokesperson was, I believe, silent in his contribution about what way the party intended to vote if its amendment was voted down tomorrow night. It abstained on the issue last year. Is it going to abstain again this year? If so, why do so when civil liberties are at stake? Why abstain on taking a garda’s opinion as evidence in a court? Why abstain on allowing a court to draw inference from a person exercising his or her right to remain silent? Why abstain on non-jury courts, ignoring the advice of the ICCL, Amnesty International and others? Why is Sinn Féin saying that it will support non-jury courts in future if the expert panel majority recommendations are implemented? Two experts out of six on that Government-appointed committee have opposed non-jury courts. Sinn Féin should stand by civil liberties and do the same.

See this speech in context