Press Release: Justice  6 July 2006

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6 July 2006

Green Party condemns Government refusal to allow debate on findings of Sullivan Review

The Green Party has condemned the Government's refusal to allow Opposition parties the opportunity to discuss the findings of the Report of the Sullivan Review.

The Report, which examined the Office of the Attorney General and the circumstances surrounding the recent statutory rape controversy, was published today, on the final sitting day of the Dáil.

Green Party Justice spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD stated: "The Government has acted despicably on this most serious matter. This report is dated June 2006, yet the powers that be withheld the report until the final hours of the Dáil term in a cynical attempt to avoid being questioned on the findings. Opposition parties should be afforded the opportunity to debate this Report and its findings in full in Dáil Éireann.

"The Sullivan Review has found that an official in the AG's Office made a genuine mistake in not informing the Attorney General of the challenge to the statutory rape law, on the grounds that it did not offer a defence of 'mistake as to age'. Mr Sullivan claims that measures put in place since will work to reduce the risk of a recurrence.

"This case has far-reaching implications for a number of Offices of State. I am calling for a fully independent inquiry to scrutinize the workings in the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the channels of communication between these offices. It is crucial that such an inquiry recommend a system of checks and balances to be put in place in these organisations to prevent a similar crisis developing in the future," concluded Deputy Cuffe.