THE Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Mr Bruton has accused opponents of the bail amendment of disseminating bizarre interpretations" of the proposal.
It was totally wrong" to suggest that being remanded without bail would prejudice "innocence until proven guilty" in the subsequent trial. "Refusal of bail cannot and does not undermine the need for the prosecution to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt."
Opponents were suggesting that passage of the amendment would result in judges denying bail to "pranksters who throw a stone through a window".
Such arguments did not stand up to a moment's scrutiny Mr Bruton said. "Judges will have to see hard evidence to establish a strong likelihood that a defendant will commit a serious offence while on bail."
The Labour Party Minister of State, Ms Joan Burton, encouraged "everyone who is concerned with the right of the community to live in safety" to support the amendment. "The legislation will offer safeguards and close scrutiny by the courts. On balance a Yes vote is called for, and this is what Labour TDs are unanimously urging on Thursday," she said.
The Democratic Left Minister of State, Mr Eamon Gilmore, said the final decision on a bail application would be taken by "a responsible judiciary which has served us well since the foundation of the State and which has safeguarded the rights of accused persons.
The director of the Fine Gael campaign for the amendment, Mr Charles Flanagan, said confidence in the criminal justice system had been weakened because of the large number of crimes committed by people on bail.
The Law Reform Commission clearly states that Ireland has fewer remand prisons than most other European states and further that Ireland is unique in its failure to tighten its bail regime in recent decades.
"A recent RGDATA survey shows that of a sample of 2,090 shops, 57 per cent have been victims of crime within the last year. In 24 per cent of cases, the same perpetrators returned to hold up the same shop between one and five times. In some cases the same persons returned to rob the same shop between five and 10 times. Ninety seven per cent of retailers surveyed supported a change ink the bail laws.
"The referendum represents just one aspect of an overall government anti crime package designed to restore confidence in our criminal justice system," Mr Flanagan said.