Justice minister seeks to extend laws governing the Special Criminal Court

Heather Humphreys will renew the special counter-terrorism court legislation while the first review of it in two decades continues

Heather Humphreys has said the Special Criminal Court has 'served the State well in tackling organised crime and the subversive threat'. File Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

The justice minister is to seek Cabinet approval to renew the laws underpinning the Special Criminal Court.

Heather Humphreys will seek to renew the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 for a further year. The legislation must be renewed every year and was passed last year when Sinn Féin, in a policy shift, abstained from the vote on the basis that the laws be reviewed.