Judicial review plans are an attack on justice

The Government is burying the public consultation for drastic new rules limiting access to the courts over the Christmas period — don't let them away with it

'Most people reading this are not contemplating ever taking on the State or a public authority in court, but you know it is important the authorities know they can be held to account before our independent judiciary.' 

The State plans to take control over who can and cannot afford to hold them to account before the courts, and how effective a challenge they can bring to the lawfulness of decisions made. I’m not talking about some far flung authoritarian regime, I am talking about Ireland, and our Government, right now, in changes published on Wednesday in a public consultation they are trying to bury over the Christmas and New Year period.

This is a profound and deeply worrying shift on access to justice. It is further compounded as these changes provide for an entirely uneven playing field in court, as the lawyers acting for the State and large developer interests won’t be hit by the same cost restrictions.