Bail changes a `panicky response'

The Irish Council for Civil Liberties has criticised next month's referendum on changes to the bail laws as unfair, unwise and…

The Irish Council for Civil Liberties has criticised next month's referendum on changes to the bail laws as unfair, unwise and unlikely to work. The chairman of the ICCL, Mr Michael Farrell, said the referendum was ban ill thought out, panicky response" to the problem of crime.

The percentage of crime committed by those on bail was low, said Mr Farrell, and by tightening the bail laws innocent or inappropriate people could spend more time in prison.