LIKE myself and the wider world, you may have been under the illusion that this country was democratically run by the Government on a cabinet basis.

FAR-REACHING implications flow from the revelation that Justice Minister Michael McDowell passed confidential documents to a newspaper for its story on allegations that journalist Frank Connolly applied for a false passport.

THE proposed new garda inspectorate will not significantly improve the current failed complaints procedures, a top legal expert said yesterday.