Green Party questions new Criminal Law Bill

Press Release: Justice 14 March 2007

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14 March 2007

Green Party questions new Criminal Law Bill

The Green Party has expressed its concern at the timing and content of the new Criminal Law (Defence of Life and Property) Bill 2007, which the Government proposed today. The Bill proposes to amend the law to allow 'justifiable' force by occupiers of domestic dwellings against trespassers entering with criminal intent.

Green Party Justice spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD said: "It is more than a little curious that Minister McDowell is publishing this Bill today when only six months ago he labelled a similar Fine Gael bill as 'an unreasonable, excessive, headline-grabbing stunt'. It is interesting that the Minister now feels the time is right for such a piece of legislation.

"The Bill in its current format poses a number of areas of concern. I am concerned at the potential ambiguity attached to the use of the phrase 'with criminal intent'. I am seeking clarification from the Minister as to how exactly 'criminal intent' will be defined in this legislation.

"This proposal could allow a property-owner to knock out a twelve-year-old child attempting to steal apples from an orchard. I hope that the Irish Human Rights Commission will comment on the Bill, and I look forward to their views. The Minister should not use a hedge-hammer to crack a nut, and I hope he will consider appropriate amendments once the full text of the legislation is published."

Ciarán Cuffe is a TD for the Dún Laoghaire Dáil Constituency. Ciarán can be contacted at Dáil Éireann, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 or 96 Patrick Street, Dún Laoghaire Tel. 284 6060 or 618 3082, Fax 618 4341, Email Ciaran CiaranCuffe.com, or Text Ciaran on 087 265 2075.