The Government has been forced to postpone debate on legislation to ease Ireland's extradition laws because of a blunder in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, it emerged yesterday.
The European Arrest Warrant Bill, 2003, sponsored by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr McDowell, was to have finished its final two stages in the Dáil this week.
However, the Labour Party has revealed that two versions of the legislation were printed, one in July and another, much longer, shortly afterwards, when Department officials discovered key sections had been omitted the first time.
The extradition legislation would have faced the danger of being thrown out of court if lawyers representing a person facing an extradition application had discovered the error.
Sharply criticising the Department of Justice, the Labour Party TD Mr Joe Costello had argued that it was unclear which draft of the legislation had passed second stage last week.
In the Dáil yesterday the Ceann Comhairle ruled that the first version of the legislation submitted to the Dáil's Bills Office was "the valid document under the Dáil's standing orders".
However, he said last week's Dáil debate on the issue could stay on the record because a second stage debate deals with "the general principles" and not the details of legislation.
Challenging this decision, the Labour Party leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, said the opposition had believed it was dealing with one piece of legislation last week, while the Government was, in fact, dealing with quite another.
"I am surprised that one of the greatest legal minds on the Government benches ought to have fallen into this trap. It is highly unusual," he said, directing his words to Mr McDowell.
The Department of Justice postponed the committee stage hearing on the legislation, although it is not yet clear if it will take place next week.
