Sir, – The President bemoans the "unnecessary time constraints" with which some Bills have to be concluded ("Higgins raises concerns over volume of legislation received", News, July 30th).
Presumably this is a reference to the fact that the final stage of the passage of legislation is the presidential signature.
If President Higgins has any concerns about the constitutionality of any Bill that lands on his desk with “unseemly haste”, it is his duty to refrain from signing it. – Yours, etc,
MARGARET LEE,
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Newport,
Co Tipperary.
Sir, – Tighter deadlines and increasing workloads. May I respectfully welcome President Michael D Higgins to 2021. – Yours, etc,
FRANK BYRNE,
Glasnevin,
Dublin 9.
Sir, – The President acts as guardian of the Constitution.
Forcing through legislation, using the guillotine, and not allowing adequate time for debate, scrutiny and amendments is no way to treat the democratic parliamentary process.
Neither is it right to heap very substantial legislation on the President’s desk with a limited timeline for his office to consider.
The President has absolute discretion to refer a Bill to the Supreme Court for a judgment on its constitutionality.
The Presidency is an integral part of the constitutional life of the State, and as a member of the Oireachtas I concur with the President’s concerns and thank him for his timely and necessary intervention. – Yours, etc,
Senator VICTOR
BOYHAN,
Independent,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2.