Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998

[nua]

On Wednesday, 25 April 2007 the following motion was put to the Dail "That Dáil Éireann resolves that sections 2 to 12, 14 and 17 of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 (No. 39 of 1998) shall continue in operation for the period of 12 months beginning on 30 June 2007." As we know it was passed.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh said on the debate, "Even leaving aside the issues of disproportionality and non-compliance with human rights, the necessity for this legislation has not been demonstrated. The use of draconian provisions such as the measure proposed for renewal today is no longer tenable."

The Question I pose is, If SF become part of the next government will they seek to have this dropped?

[Wednesday]

Let's see. We've voted against it every year; tabled a Repeal bill; called for its repeal in our Election manifesto; and passed an Ard Fheis motion making its repeal a condition of our entering into Government.

Yes, I think it's fair to say that we will seek to have it dropped.

[DonRoche]

For those who dont speak legal. Could explain what this means?

[CJH]

Has any justification been put forward for its continuation? Is anyone aware if it is even being used in police work?

[scarface]

it's used to harass and arrest republicans all the time

[ON THE ONE ROAD]

Has any justification been put forward for its continuation? Is anyone aware if it is even being used in police work?

yep E wing in portlaoise is full of people it was used against. Some people are in there for being in posession of a wreath at a republician monument and being seen in the company of person laying a wreath at a republician monument. Some people for haveing posters, t-shirts, notebooks with republician slogans on them and the general acompanyment of the unquestioned word of a garda superintendent. And iam not generalizing when i say that the gaurd does not have to answer the men/women's defence councel as to why they believe such and such is a member of an illigal organization so the gardai are alloud a right to silance but if the men/women don't answer questions there silance can infer guilt. This system has been extended into the new criminal justice bill, great little country we got here.

[merle haggard]

There was a pensioner from Kildare in for possession of an old chair leg that was found in his back garden . The filth claimed it was a grenade part , at least that it could be attached to a grenade as a throwing handle , and he got 7 years . For an old chair leg lying in his back garden . Somebody else got done for an egg timer . A teenager was done for a photo , an ordinary household photo taken at a halloween bonfire of him with a wooly hat , which the gardaí claimed was a balaclava , therefore evidence of membership . Wearing a wooly hat on a cold night at a Halloween bonfire on your Dublin housing estate = 5 years maximum security .

Berties banana republic .

[DOD]

On Wednesday, 25 April 2007 the following motion was put to the Dail "That Dáil Éireann resolves that sections 2 to 12, 14 and 17 of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 (No. 39 of 1998) shall continue in operation for the period of 12 months beginning on 30 June 2007." As we know it was passed.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh said on the debate, "Even leaving aside the issues of disproportionality and non-compliance with human rights, the necessity for this legislation has not been demonstrated. The use of draconian provisions such as the measure proposed for renewal today is no longer tenable."

The Question I pose is, If SF become part of the next government will they seek to have this dropped?

As of the 2006 Ard Fheis, scrapping of the act altogether is a precondition for government.

[nua]

As of the 2006 Ard Fheis, scrapping of the act altogether is a precondition for government.

Is this scrapping of the act (precondition for government) a way for SF to try to hold on to its Republican credentials, similiar to the recent push on the Easter lilly which was ordered by the ard chomhairle in light of the then recent move on recognising the PSNI?

Also, if the act were to be removed as a condition of government. Would not the political nature of an act/operation (call it what you will) carried out by a 'Republican' group not be criminalised. Therefore no more politcal prisoners held in Irish prisons as they would be charged under criminal legisation, similiar to no political prisoners (officially after 1998) held in Maghaberry.

Are SF trying to play two hands?

[ON THE ONE ROAD]

as someone who voted in favour of the precondition and the motion came from the grass roots( so the SF machivelli conspiricy theory dosn't stand here) i did so on the bases that the oas is an abuse of power it's internment with a PR twist and it DOSE already criminalize politicaly mind'd people. Alothough the new criminal justice bill( which SF TD's opposed) has alot of the provisions of the oas and i don't think it's unreasonable to presume that they were put into the act so in time to kill of the oas