A Chara, - I write regarding the Minister for Justice, Nora Owen's piece in The Irish Times (November 18th). The Minister states that changes in the present law in relation to (1) the imposition of consecutive sentences for offences committed on bail, and (2) an improvement in relation to the forfeiture of bail, cannot prevent the commission of offences on bail.
I am at a loss to understand the purpose of these possible changes," if they are not intended to deter an accused person from offending while on bail. Are we to understand that such changes would be ineffective, and so the constitutional amendment is an imperative? If so, why bother introducing such changes in the first place?
Secondly, if the Minister has such little faith in her own proposals, how can the rest of us be expected, not only to believe in the supposed benefit of legislative reform, but also in the proposed constitutional reform? - Is mise le meas,
Dean Swift Square,
Dublin 8.