Sir, - The Morris Tribunal has granted legal representation to no fewer than 73 individuals and groups who are to appear before it.
This decision, with which I agree, highlights the great injustice done to all victims of crime during any ensuing criminal legal process, in that the victims are not allowed any legal representation of their own whatsoever. The official or legal reason given for this situation is that, as a victim of the crime in a case taken by the State on behalf of that victim, one is only a witness and the State will supposedly look after the interests of that victim/witness.
The State does no such thing. The Irish criminal justice system takes no cognisance of the position of the victims; it simply uses them as witnesses. Should the State fail to secure a conviction, even through its own errors or oversights, it simply walks away, leaving the victim witness hanging out to dry without any recourse.
It is way past the time that our politicians ceased paying lip- service to victims of crime and started doing something to mitigate the serious injustices visited upon them by a system which becomes forever more loaded in favour of the criminal.
The first such step should be to allow a crime victim legal representation in court during any trial in connection with the crime. - Yours, etc.,
ÉAMONN GAVIN, Terenure, Dublin 6W.