It is important to note that the Supreme Court said it was beyond dispute that the Oireachtas had the power to abridge the rights of individual citizens, such as the right to be heard in proceedings taken against them, in order to deal with the social evil of domestic violence. The Supreme Court did not take issue with Oireachtas powers in that respect. The constitutional problem arose with the manner in which the abridgement of the right was effected in that the abridgement has to be proportionate.