Sir, – Jim O'Callaghan ("Renua's plan to publish attorney general's advice misguided", Opinion & Analysis, March 25th) raises an important issue regarding Renua Ireland's proposal that advice given by the attorney general to Cabinet should be made "publicly available".
It is a deeply flawed concept urged on the people by Lucinda Creighton. This highlights the potential of superficially appealing “reform” to have gravely damaging and expensive consequences for the taxpayer. It also has the capacity to undermine Ireland’s interests in international affairs.
As Mr O’Callaghan pointed out, if all advice given by the attorney general to Cabinet were to “be made publicly available”, parties suing the State would be given a huge advantage in pursuing their claims.
In such a scenario, the State would be placed at a serious disadvantage.
The “reform” advocated by Ms Creighton would hand a powerful weapon to those suing the State, frequently for large sums of money.
Ms Creighton’s proposition is all the more surprising, coming as it does, from a lawyer. Bold, new ideas are urgently needed in Irish politics. We can do without ones that are misconceived and potentially costly in every sense. – Yours, etc,
EDWARD KEANE,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 14.