Government failed to head off the hysteria generated by rape ruling

THE heated and at times hysterical political atmosphere which we experienced last week meant that the Government was blamed for many things that were not its fault.

The Government’s central mistake, however, was not being out ahead of the hysteria. It took too long to set out and explain its position and was, initially, incoherent in its response.

After previous controversies like the Brendan Smyth affair and the Sheedy case, the Government should have been particularly sensitive to the reality that the interface between the courts and the legislature can be troublesome.