Government brings in legislation to shutdown Tribunals

[kerrynorth]

The Government are bringing in legislation next week to amend the 1924 Tribunals of Inquiry Act to allow for the closing down of Tribunals prior to their conclusion. The existing legislation does not allow for the shutting down of sitting Tribunals. Hmmmm.......I wonder who could possibly benefit from this?

[badboy2]

Everyone.

Let the Gardai do their job and let the courts do theirs.

The fact that people can go in to the tribunals and procrastinate and prevaricate is a joke.

If I am suspected of a crime - I will be questioned after a night in the cells. Why should it be different for the "elite"?

If they had ever worked their could be an argument, however the Beef Tribunal showed they were a waste of time.

[Odyessus]

The Government are bringing in legislation next week to amend the 1924 Tribunals of Inquiry Act to allow for the closing down of Tribunals prior to their conclusion. The existing legislation does not allow for the shutting down of sitting Tribunals. Hmmmm.......I wonder who could possibly benefit from this?

The taxpayer.

[kerrynorth]

The Government are bringing in legislation next week to amend the 1924 Tribunals of Inquiry Act to allow for the closing down of Tribunals prior to their conclusion. The existing legislation does not allow for the shutting down of sitting Tribunals. Hmmmm.......I wonder who could possibly benefit from this?

The taxpayer.

Does Bertie pay tax?

[stanley]

Can anybody stop the Govt from doing this, if they have the Press onside what can anyone do, can the Courts not do something to prevent.

[MichaelHennigan]

Wouldn't it be a surprise if after 10 years of a public tribunal investigation of planning corruption, our banana republic style politicians brought forward legislation to reform Ireland's crack cocaine - land rezoning - which spawned the corruption?

As with condoms years ago, it looks as if the only remedy for the corrupt rezoning system will be via the courts through personally suing councillors who support decisions that are contrary to the public interest.

The brown envelope may now be a historic relic but anyone who believes that more subtle inducements are not currently widely deployed, is a fool.

[KATHY]

Coincidently it would seem this Bill was re-activated immediately after Ahern started giving his evidence at the Mahon Tribunal. A briefing note on the Bill was prepared in the Dept of Justice on the 18th Sept…five days after he began to give evidence.

I wouldn’t be too sure they will have the press onside on this one though because apparently the briefing note also contains references to amending the Bill, which could allow new sanctions to be brought against certain journalists who are before the Tribunal for having obtained leaked information concerning Ahern .

[TheBear]

<Mod>Moved to the Justice forum.</Mod>

[Auditor #9]

If the Tribunal system hadn't been an option all along, what (if anything) would have been discovered about Burke, Lawlor, Haughey etc. and how would it have been discovered?

[droghedasouth]

Everyone.

Let the Gardai do their job and let the courts do theirs.

The fact that people can go in to the tribunals and procrastinate and prevaricate is a joke.

If I am suspected of a crime - I will be questioned after a night in the cells. Why should it be different for the "elite"?

If they had ever worked their could be an argument, however the Beef Tribunal showed they were a waste of time.

Tribunals were only needed to investigate planning corruption in Dublin because the Gardai got absolutely nowhere. It never got anywhere near a court of law. For all their failings, the tribunals have turned up a lot of dirty dealings.