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FIFTEEN YEARS BEFORE the death penalty was abolished by the Irish people in a referendum, the country was coming under increased international pressure to end the practice.
Despite this, there was division within official circles about whether doing anything could be politically risky.
Details of these discussions have been revealed in newly released files from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
A briefing note from a civil servant to the then-First Secretary outlined these concerns even though, as it points out, Ireland didn’t even have an executioner to carry out such punishments.
The briefing note reads:
The death penalty in this country is largely a quaint throwback to the days when everyone else had one. As we no longer have a hangman, and almost the only country in the world in a position to train one is South Africa. There is no immediate prospect of execution in this jurisdiction.That being said, the abolition of the death penalty would represent a strong political minus in the eyes of certain right-wing groupings, including the gardaí, the RUC and the DUP. While the step would be practically meaningless, it could be used in a politically damaging way.
“I imagine the moral dimension interests you not a whit,” the note adds.
Ireland carried out its last execution in 1954 and by 1986 the sentence was only available for a number of serious offences including treason and the murder of gardaí.
In the intervening period the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by the President.
Then-Senator and current Minister Shane Ross introduced a private member’s motion seeking to abolish in 1984 but that bill stalled during Garret FitzGerald’s administration.
Lobbying from human rights organisations sought to bring Ireland into line with many other European countries and correspondence sent to TDs from members of Amnesty International kept the pressure on.
Template letter sent to the representatives ended with the plea:
Since the death penalty is a violation of the right to life, as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I want to stress Amnesty International’s opposition to this kind of punishment in all circumstances and without reservation.
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It’s a shame that Russia just so happens to have a significant military presence in Syria. After losing out on those lucrative contracts in Lybia thanks to NATO, it’s no wonder they’re stopping the UN from getting involved. Sad day when people put money and influence ahead of innocent lives.
fyi i shouted nothing…caps in text refers shouting..i dont use caps
I don’t know what you’re talking about but I will say your comments are generally painful to read with no spaces, no capitals, bad grammar and very poor punctuation. I still read them though
Reeply meant for another comment. I rechecked my comments, plenty spaces and good spelling but sure I’m not perfect
this woman speaks the truth..the world must act now!
Try this if you want to understand a little about what is really going on in Syria http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/NB04Ak01.html#Scene_1
you sir accused me of “getting off on seeing muslims slaughtered” that is bilious vile crap which i.find highly insulting and abusive..btw im.no propagandist but sure why do i bother!
What’s been most striking about the Syrian situation as an Irish observer is the utter silence from the Irish govt, the Irish anti war groups , Sinn Fein etc on the subject. Not even a single statement of solidarity for the people being mowed down day after day by their own government’s bullets.
Where are the flotillas, the champagne socialists , the celebrity endorsements that we saw take aim at Israel over the Gaza situation? The deputy director of the red cross stated recently that there is no humanitarian crisis in gaza , but surely there is one in Syria? The government there are shelling residential housing estates every day, and yet we’ve heard nothing, NOTHING from messrs Boyd Barrett and his ilk on the topic.
I suspect this is because the Irish left ( I include Sinn Fein and Labour in this) know how Syria would deal with them ( the business end of a belt fed machine gun) and are therefore selective in their assertions of do-gooderness. The other aspect of it is that they are, fundamentally, Anti-west, Anti-American, Anti-Israeli, and they only dip their toes In when whitey or his friends does something they don’t agree with.
For everyone else (libyans, Egyptians, Syrians, Saudis etc) they’re not too bothered when Arabs butcher other Arabs because the Irish left sees them through an insidiously but equally racist filter – as victims of their history or their culture , who cannot be held to account or treated like adults.
Nice rant there Eric but your facts let you down. That Red Cross myth has already been dealt with on the Journal at the time of the Gaza flotilla and shown to be exactly what it is, a myth, urban legend, call it what you will.
Irish Government silent…http://www.merrionstreet.ie/index.php/2011/12/tanaiste-condemns-ongoing-violence-in-syria/ “Tánaiste Condemns Ongoing Violence in Syria”. Richard Boyd Barrett in a Dail debate ” The Minister is totally wrong there. I am 100% on the side of the people fighting for democracy against the brutal Assad dictatorship” The Irish War Movement has plenty to say on their website about Syria and the ongoing conflict there.
Just because you might have missed their condemnations of the regime and support for the rebels doesn’t mean that they have kept silent.
Eric you could at least do a little bit of research before spreading such lies and accusations.
for the record..i have the highest regard for Islam and pass this on ti my children whise friends are jewish muslim.and christian. i hate to see innocent life squandered..there are always two sides to every conflict and as has been shown in my country compromise is necessary. i have relationscand friends who served in lebanon who.saw at first hand the war crimes that were shabra and chatila…i condemned the butcher of those crimes ariel.sharon when.he undermined ehud baraks peace negotiations with yasser arafat by marching on.thevTemple Mount aka Dome of the Rock. i disagree with the proliferation.of settlements. but those who insult and harranue me for my.views conveniently ignore the bulldozing of illegal settlements by direction.of netanyahu..the prosecution.of ultra orthodox jews who have terrorised girls for “immodest clothing” and who ignore the history of Israel..the facts
Seem if Colm doesn’t agree with you’re comments they get deleted even if the majority agree with them ?
Syrias biggest failure is failing to protect their citizens from the NATO murder machine. Anyone who can’t see the real story in Syria, should be ashamed at their stupidity. Wake up. We live in a world where Israel can blame Iran for bombing their embassies immediately after with no due process. How crazy is that. The demonisation of Syria is no different. We are spinning headlong towards another world war. Guess too many people with too much power are too thick.
Get a room….zzzzz
I’m sorry but they played the rape card with Libya and only after the war had been perpetrated did those of us who made the effort learn that it was all lies. Humanitarianism is being tarnished and subverted by people who are pursuing an Israelist agenda in the Middle East.
Negotiations and a cease fire were offered by Assad months ago and Western leaders had the arrogance to reject them on behalf of the people in Syria whose lives were in danger from the fighting. Russia seems to be the only government working to achieve peace with no ulterior motives. And so they are cast as the villain the American/Euro version of events.
ceasefires were offered by assad but never implemented never respected by his forces. wheres the link.that proves western givts rejected ceasefires..how could they they are not a party to the conflict.
There is no coincidence that as soon as the war in Libya ends Syria blows up .The NATO/Arab league cabal have been shipping arms and insurgents into Syria for months.Asad is not a nice guy but he has the majority of the people behind him .How about reporting on the Bahraini government using Saudi troops to massacre Shi’ite protesters ,or the US backed Yemeni governments atrocities No lets jump on fantasy rapes ,maybe you could try babies murded in incubators it worked against the Iraqis !
Obama and Hillary Clinton publicly dismissed Assad’s offers to negotiate and implement reforms. When the leaders of the global superpower make such statements they have weight enough to effect the decisions made by the Syrian opposition. Why would they even bother negotiating a peaceful solution when Obama and his Secretary of State are dismissing the very idea of it? The West has led the rebels to believe that they have a NATO-insured uprising and therefore have every reason to go for broke and hold out for a complete uncompromising victory.
You and I can argue about which side was doing the attacking but that would be futile. Assad said he implemented a cease-fire but the rebels kept on fighting. But the two people we have proof did not respect them are Obama and Clinton – their remarks are part of the public record.
sir I am not a racist..withdraw that acvusation please. iv never supported use of white phosphorous on combatants or civilians! and Israel is a fully functioning democracy. fyi ive reported your scurrilous comments as they are clearly in.breach of the policy
journal…these insulting rants are getting tiresome..this post above has.made scurrilous accusatiins about me
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