Mary Harney’s failed Bill tried to legalise Government malpractice

“WHATEVER exceptions may exist, it is an undoubted fact that the Bill will affect very many people who are old, or poor or disabled, mentally or physically, or in many cases, all of these. As already stated, persons so situated will almost certainly have had little or no capacity to understand their rights under the legislation or to protest at the unlawfulness of the charges. . .

"The constitution, in protecting property rights, does not encompass only property rights which are of great value.

"It protects such rights even when they are of modest value and, in particular, as in this case, where the persons affected are among the more vulnerable sections of society and might more readily be exposed to the risk of unjust attack." That's what the Supreme Court said about Mary Harney's Bill.