Madam, – The conflation of the Departments of Defence and Justice, Equality and Law Reform into a single entity makes sense at a number of levels. For example, the Irish Naval Service has brought about significant added value to the State as a constabulary navy imposing the rule of law on the high seas. The new structure may streamline the bureaucratic mechanisms for such initiative.
But potentially serious risks can be associated with the new arrangement. A blurring of the traditional divide between military power, on the one hand, and policing/national security power on the other is worrying for democratic health. It may also reinforce a trend towards the militarisation of policing.
It is too early to arrive at conclusions, but policy development by the new department will need to be carefully held to account. – Yours, etc,