Our stringent bail laws do not need changing, insists expert

IRELAND’S bail laws are among the most stringent in the world and do not need to changed, according to an eminent barrister.

Junior Counsel Paul Anthony McDermott was commenting on figures released by Fine Gael on Thursday which show 15 murders have been committed in the past two years where the prime suspect has been out on bail. Mr McDermott said denying people bail on the basis that they may commit another crime would put further pressure on an already overcrowded prison system.

“No politician ever did their election chances any harm by saying they were going to lock up more people. It’s ironic this story bubbles up again this week, in a week when the Governor of Mountjoy John Lonergan said he was retiring; and on Tuesday Mountjoy had 670 prisoners when it has a capacity for 540; and the Governor of the Dóchas Centre Kathleen McMahon said she was leaving her post, and it had 187 prisoners when it had space for 85.