Here’s your chance to help scrap 2,300 laws

THE way to prosecute a thief? Tie the suspect to a millstone, deep him or her in water, and if they sink, they’re guilty. And no, this is not Taliban-style justice, but Irish law.

A series of archaic acts remain on the Statute Book. A 12th century law forbids Jewish people from owning armour. An 11th-century law provides for Frenchmen to be charged discriminatory taxes.

But these laws will not survive for much longer. The Government has embarked upon the second phase of its programme to update the Statute Book.

The first phase saw an act passed to repeal 206 pieces of obsolete legislation that pre-dated the foundation of the State in 1922. The second phase will see 2,300 acts removed from the Statute Book.

These were passed by the various parliaments sitting in Ireland between the Norman invasion and the Act of Union in 1801.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern yesterday announced a two-month consultation period on the Government’s plans. Adverts explaining how people can participate in the consultation process appear in today’s Irish Examiner.

He said: “This will be the single largest body of legislation to be repealed in this way in the history of the State, so it is important the public have an opportunity to become involved in this project and to see what we propose to repeal.

“Ultimately, it is the intention that all legislation that predates the foundation of the State will be repealed, and where we do need to retain any pre-1922 legislation, we will re-enact it in a more modern form.”

Looney laws

* An act from 1310 which provides that “only those of the English nation [are] to be received into religious orders”.

* An act of 1344 which declares that no one may “supply the Irish at war against the King”.

* An act of 1360 which cracks down on “people associating with the Irish, using their language, or sending children to be nursed among them”.