Latest news with #LawReformCommission
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
More than 3,000 archaic laws revoked under new bill, including rewards for reporting crimes such as beating people with nettles
Today, matters like those are dealt with through different regulatory channels, but the old laws provide insight into the social issues of past generations. Thousands of old statutes, many of which are hundreds of years old, have now been repealed, marking the biggest clean-up of out-of-date legislation in the State's history. Among more than 3,000 instruments being revoked are 2,500 proclamations offering rewards for suspected criminals. This also includes a proclamation for 'posting threatening notices about land, voting and potatoes'. The Statute Law Revision Act 2024, now signed into law, also revokes hundreds of proclamations specific to individual counties. Co Tipperary alone accounted for 426 of those proclamations, highlighting 'historical social unrest' in the area. The 18th and 19th centuries in Tipperary saw significant upheaval, with many land disputes causing tensions and conflict between landlords and their tenants. Dublin had just 71 such proclamations. In one proclamation, a specific prayer was prescribed for use during the Famine. 'This Act is a landmark moment in our ongoing commitment for legislative clarity and transparency. By repealing over 3,000 outdated instruments, we are not only decluttering our statute book but also making it more accessible and understandable for all,' Junior Minister in the Department of Publix Expenditure Emer Higgins said. 'The work of the Law Reform Commission and the Department in reviewing over 40,000 instruments has been meticulous and invaluable. While the repeals offer a snapshot of our country's rich history, this is about ensuring that our laws reflect the Ireland of today – not the Ireland of centuries past.' The Department of Public Expenditure said that while these instruments are 'often curious or archaic', their place on the statue book creates 'unnecessary complexity'. It said the removal of those instruments ensures Ireland's legal system 'remains modern, relevant and fit for purpose'. 'I welcome the signing into law of this important legislation which marks an important step in our ongoing work to modernise Ireland's legislative framework,' Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers said. 'Many of the repeals offer insight into the priorities and challenges faced by our country in times gone by and their repeal provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made as a society'. The Department noted the bill marks 'the most extensive statute law revision effort ever undertaken globally'.
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Archaic laws against beating people with nettles revoked under new bill
Today, matters like those are dealt with through different regulatory channels, but the old laws provide insight into the social issues of past generations. Thousands of old statutes, many of which are hundreds of years old, have now been repealed, marking the biggest clean-up of out-of-date legislation in the State's history. Among more than 3,000 instruments being revoked are 2,500 proclamations offering rewards for suspected criminals. This also includes a proclamation for 'posting threatening notices about land, voting and potatoes'. The Statute Law Revision Act 2024, now signed into law, also revokes hundreds of proclamations specific to individual counties. Co Tipperary alone accounted for 426 of those proclamations, highlighting 'historical social unrest' in the area. The 18th and 19th centuries in Tipperary saw significant upheaval, with many land disputes causing tensions and conflict between landlords and their tenants. Dublin had just 71 such proclamations. In one proclamation, a specific prayer was prescribed for use during the Famine. 'This Act is a landmark moment in our ongoing commitment for legislative clarity and transparency. By repealing over 3,000 outdated instruments, we are not only decluttering our statute book but also making it more accessible and understandable for all,' Junior Minister in the Department of Publix Expenditure Emer Higgins said. 'The work of the Law Reform Commission and the Department in reviewing over 40,000 instruments has been meticulous and invaluable. While the repeals offer a snapshot of our country's rich history, this is about ensuring that our laws reflect the Ireland of today – not the Ireland of centuries past.' The Department of Public Expenditure said that while these instruments are 'often curious or archaic', their place on the statue book creates 'unnecessary complexity'. It said the removal of those instruments ensures Ireland's legal system 'remains modern, relevant and fit for purpose'. 'I welcome the signing into law of this important legislation which marks an important step in our ongoing work to modernise Ireland's legislative framework,' Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers said. 'Many of the repeals offer insight into the priorities and challenges faced by our country in times gone by and their repeal provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made as a society'. The Department noted the bill marks 'the most extensive statute law revision effort ever undertaken globally'.
Irish Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
The ‘honest belief' defence in rape cases rewards ignorance and insensitivity
There is still much work to be done before the human rights and dignity of victims of sexual violence in Ireland are truly realised. A persistent barrier to protecting victims' rights in sexual offence cases is the legal defence based on 'honest belief' that is open to those accused of rape. This means a person accused of rape may avoid conviction if the jury accepts that they honestly believed the other person was consenting – even if that belief was entirely unreasonable in the circumstances. While the Supreme Court has clarified that juries need not accept 'obviously false' accounts, the law still permits acquittal based solely on the accused's subjective perception of events. As it stands, the 'honest belief' defence does not require that the belief be 'reasonable', and relies entirely on the accused's perception of whether the victim was consenting. This undermines the core principle of mutual, meaningful consent that is enshrined in the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, which defines consent as 'freely and voluntarily given'. READ MORE Some other areas of criminal law measure a person's actions or beliefs against what a reasonable person would have done. However, when it comes to rape, an accused person can rely on their own interpretation of events, even if there is no reasonable explanation for their belief, and even if they took no steps to establish or confirm consent. The Law Reform Commission recommended changing to a 'reasonable belief' standard in its comprehensive report in 2019. It pointed out that a complainant's silence – which may have derived from fear and trauma – could be interpreted incorrectly as consent, and that an honest belief on this basis might even encourage people not to ascertain consent. The commission concluded that arguments against the current law far outweighed arguments in favour of it. Prof Tom O'Malley said that the law as it stands 'places a premium on ignorance, lack of consideration or insensitivity'. At the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre , we support a legislative change that introduces an objective reasonableness standard, as well as a requirement that appropriate actions have been taken to confirm consent. Such changes will mean a closer alignment with our existing statutory definition of consent. For most victims and survivors, this reform would be welcome and necessary. Honest belief as a defence centres the accused's subjective viewpoint, often at the expense of the victim's experience and agency. Reporting a rape takes immense courage and determination, yet survivors must navigate a legal system that is often very challenging. When the law allows the accused to invoke honest belief without any need to demonstrate that this belief was reasonable or based on any concrete steps to establish consent, it can compound survivors' feelings of disempowerment and erode their confidence that their voice matters. If we truly wish to encourage more survivors to seek justice, this reform would be an important positive step. In Ireland, we have come close to modernising this law once before. We strongly supported the honest-belief reforms in the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill, published in July 2023. It would have replaced the current defence with a requirement that belief in consent must be objectively reasonable. It also proposed that juries must consider whether the accused took steps to ascertain consent, which might include verbal confirmation or other clear indication of agreement. In effect, the planned changes enshrined the question: would a reasonable person, in the same situation, with the same knowledge, have believed there was consent? These reforms were necessary and proportionate. They reflected both public understanding and the legal reality of what genuine consent entails, as well as the lived experience of survivors of sexual violence. [ 'Scale of our sexual violence epidemic' shown by record calls and texts to national rape crisis helpline Opens in new window ] Adopting an objective standard would align Ireland with international best practice. Countries including England and Wales already require a reasonable objective belief of consent, for instance. It would also reflect the principles of the Istanbul Convention, which focuses on whether the alleged victim freely and voluntarily agreed to sexual activity, as assessed in the full context – not just on the accused's own belief. Similarly, the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) urges states to eliminate laws that permit subjective or unreasonable interpretations of consent. These international bodies recognise that in matters as serious as rape, subjective belief – no matter how honestly claimed – is not enough. In recent years, Ireland has taken progressive steps towards addressing gender-based violence and supporting victims. The national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence sets out ambitious goals and legislative reform is central to achieving them. So we were very concerned to learn in November 2023 that the honest belief provisions were being dropped from the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill. We warned that removing these provisions weakened the legislation and we urged then-minister for justice, Helen McEntee , to reconsider. She clarified that these provisions were only being cut so as not to hold up the rest of the Bill, while her department addressed considerations on honest belief arising from a recent Supreme Court judgment. McEntee committed to drafting a stand-alone Sexual Offences Bill that would mean the proposed reforms would apply to both rape and sexual assault cases, as flagged by the judgment. Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan is progressing the matter with the Attorney General and should move swiftly to introduce legislation that would ensure belief in consent can only be a defence if it was both honestly and reasonably held. If the new Bill is the robust piece of legislation it ought to be, it must receive cross-party support from members of the Oireachtas when it is published. It will send a clear, consistent message that consent must be mutual and ongoing, based on communication and not on assumption or a one-sided perception. Rachel Morrogh is chief executive of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. Anyone affected by sexual violence at any time can get free, confidential support on the 24-hour National Helpline 1800 77 8888
Zawya
21-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Tanzania's Vision 2050 targets $1trln GDP growth
President Samia Suluhu Hassan has launched Tanzania's development blueprint, Vision 2050, targeting to achieve upper middle-income status by harnessing land, natural resources, demographic dividend and technology. Manufacturing, digital economy, climate adaptation and youth empowerment sit at the core of the plan, and the East African nation expects to become a regional industrial hub, with a strong and competitive economy, in the next 25 years. Implementation is set to start on July 1, 2026. Tanzania aims to use the plan to grow GDP from $85.98 billion in 2025 to $1 trillion by 2050. President Samia while launching the blueprint in the capital Dodoma, said the plan is expected to equip about 70 percent of Tanzanian citizens with digital skills with over 80 percent of government services delivered online. Other key economic sectors for development envisaged for implementation are political cohesion that would promote peace, unity, and strict leadership codes to drive an inclusive economy.'We are laying the foundation stone for the future of our people since Tanzania is rich in land and natural resources. Let us go and implement this vision in action, not just in words,' President Samia said. She then directed the Law Reform Commission, in collaboration with the Attorney-General's Office, to begin drafting legal reform proposals that will facilitate effective implementation of the Vision 2050. Planning and Investment minister, Prof Kitila Mkumbo, said the GDP per capita is expected to rise from the current $1,200 to $7,000 in the next 25 years. Officials target to raise the life expectancy for Tanzanians from the current 68 years to 75 years. Drafting of Vision 2050 began in April 2023, with a review this year. Vision 2025 focused mostly on infrastructure development. Tanzania's population is expected to double from 61 million to about 140 million by 2050, with over half of the population living in urban areas. At the launch, private sector representative industrialist Rostam Aziz criticised the government for seeking foreign firms to execute its strategic, big-ticket projects. Mr Aziz noted that large amounts of money had been paid out to foreign firms, mostly Chinese, to implement projects and pushed for local contractors to get some of those jobs to help empower the local population.'Tanzania excels in drafting plans, but we must fix our implementation. Let's support Tanzanian businesses, especially in access to capital,' he said. He further proposed the establishment of a $100 million annual Talent Development Fund to sponsor 1,000 Tanzanian youth in critical fields, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), data science and engineering. © Copyright 2022 Nation Media Group. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Irish Independent
16-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
New compulsory purchase order laws ‘could reduce CPO by six months' and tackle vacant properties
Today, Mr Geoghegan will introduce legislation into the Dail reform Ireland's CPO system, which he says will accelerate housing delivery in Ireland. The Dublin Bay South TD said the current system was 'fragmented, outdated, and overly complex'. 'It causes unnecessary delays, inflates costs and slows down the very projects we urgently need – from new homes to vital infrastructure. That's why I'm introducing this Bill today,' Mr Geoghegan said. The legislation being brought forward would see clear definitions, timelines, and rules for notices and claims while also introducing advanced compensation payments of at least 90pc of the agreed or estimated value. There would also be defined time limits for compensation claims. According to Dublin City Council, the average CPO process takes at least 18 months, something the party's Dublin spokesperson said was 'not compatible' with the challenges the country faces in housing. 'In our bill, we expect that it would deliver it in 12 months. England and Wales, as they've sort of gone through the process, they've actually lowered it even to nine months,' Mr Geoghegan said. 'The CPO process has so many elements to it, and it's providing clear timelines at every element of that process. 'When you're notified that a CPO is going to take place, if you're a prospective landowner, what kind of compensation you're going to receive as a prospective land owner, it's tightening all of that up together so that you have a simpler, less bureaucratic process,' he added. The legislation is based on recommendations from the Law Reform Commission, which were published in 2023. ADVERTISEMENT Part of those recommendations was ensuring that those who own the properties under a CPO would get market value for those properties, Mr Geoghegan said. 'One of the things that the Law Reform Commission made clear when they carried out their research and when they published the bill was that they weren't getting into the domain of policy in terms of delivering up land prices below market value. 'You would get market value for the land. That's how it would be measured. That's what the bill would initiate, and would dictate,' he said. The Fine Gael TD said CPOs would be particularly important in tackling the vacant property crisis in Dublin. "Recent data shows over 12,000 residential and commercial units lie empty and shockingly, 40pc have been vacant for more than four years. 'These buildings could be transformed into badly needed homes and help make Dublin safer, livelier and more liveable,' Mr Geoghegan said.
