A Galway city councillor has slammed the GoverNment for its “utterly contemptuous” move to hold referendums and expect people to vote today when there has been “next to no debate” on the very serious issues involved.
As the public make their way to the various polling stations throughout the day, councillor Catherine Connolly, a practicing barrister, is urging voters to carefully consider what they are being asked to vote yes to.
Speaking ahead of voting on the referendums on consitutional amendments giving the Oireachtas powers of investigation into issues of general public importance and allowing a reduction in judges pay Cllr Connolly said the proposed amendments to the Constitution went through the Oireachtas in less than a week with minimum debate on proposed changes to the Constitution which will give any serving government extra-ordinary powers without adequate protection for the individual citizen. Moreover the government’s contemptuous approach to the proposed changes to the Constitution should cause alarms bells to go off in all our head in respect of what is ahead re the further proposed changes to the European Treaty without discussion.
"With regard to the specific proposal to give more power to both houses of Government and in particular house committees-the amendment if passed will enable committees to made adverse finding against any person.
"It is important to highlight here that if passed the amendment will give the government of the day the power to conduct an inquiry if it considers any matter to be of general public importance but in the course of such an inquiry - the conduct of any person may be investigated and as stated the Dáil or Seanad may make adverse findings against any such person.
In addition to these powers the amendment will also empower the Dáil or Seanad to decide the balance between the rights of the person and the public interest as defined by the Government of the day with due regard to fair procedures," she said.
Cllr Connolly said that as well as the inherent danger of leaving it up to any particular government by simple majority to decide what is in the public interest, it is entirely unclear whether the person under investigation would be able to challenge a decision made by such a Committee/Dáil/Seanad in the Courts, a right which clearly exists at present. Indeed on her reading of the proposed amendment what is proposed said Cllr Connolly would seriously restrict the right to go to Court in such circumstances.
"Secondly the second proposed amendment to reduce the salary of judges is worded in such a way which does not provide adequate protection for the independence of the judiciary and indeed again is leaving it up to the government of the day to decide what is in the public interest by simple majority," she added.
Councillor Connolly said in these circumstances she will be voting no to both Referendums and would urge voters to carefully consider what they are being asked to vote yes to.
