Sharon Keogan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am also opposing section 6, which would allow for civil proceedings to be taken against anyone who conducts any of the activities listed in sections 3 and 4. Most of the same points regarding the threat of legal action and law abiding demonstrators being compelled to give up their rights to protest under duress also apply to section 6. The same level of caution the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, exercises before bringing cases to trial does not apply in civil cases. The fact that activities in relation to our right to protest would not be subject to the standard of guilty until proven innocent, but instead a preponderance of evidence, risks eroding our rights. It is also worth noting that the risk of financial ruin is greater as a result of section 6 because the right to legal counsel does not exist in civil cases.