THE constitutional referendum was "a cosmetic political smokescreen to hide the failures of the politicians", according to the Right to Bail Campaign. The Government and the main political parties had "failed to prove their case" for the proposed amendment.
They had failed to give adequate information on the proposal and to prove that it would help solve the crime problem. "In fact it will make matters worse, by increasing the number of early releases of convicted prisoners."
The RTBC said that on Monday's Questions and Answers television programme, the Minister for Justice, Mrs Owen, could not give accurate figures for the extra remand prison spaces required if the referendum were passed. A claim by Senator Tom Enright (FG) that "up to 30 per cent" of crime was committed by people on bail was "outlandish".
"The electorate might well ask what exactly do the Government know about the possible ramifications of a successful outcome of this referendum for victims and suspects alike. The shambolic nature of the Government parties' campaign reflects the contradictions and unanswered questions that lay at the heart of the proposal," the RTBC said in a statement.
Senator Mary Henry (Independent) said anyone urging a Yes vote on the grounds that it would make rape and child abuse less likely had not looked at the facts.
"Sexual crimes are usually carried out by people known and trusted by the victims. Paedophiles with a record can already be refused bail under the laws as they stand," Senator Henry said.
Ms Mags O'Brien of the Divorce Action Group told a press conference in Dublin that, in stark contrast to last year's divorce amendment, this referendum was taking place with very little debate. "Many of the general public were unaware up to recently that there was a referendum taking place.
Ms O'Brien was "deeply saddened that those at the helm in the Labour and Democratic Left parties whom I've campaigned with on other issues of civil rights over many years are not speaking out on a referendum many of their supporters will vote against".
The Reid Professor of Law at Trinity College Dublin, Ms lvana Bacik, told the press conference the amendment would "interfere with fundamental civil liberties" and the Government had given no evidence that it would reduce crime.
Ms Sylvia Meehan, former chief executive of the Employment Equality Agency, described the referendum as a "blunderbuss" which was not well thought out or researched. The pro-amendment campaign had been based on "playing to the public's fear".
The feminist activist, Ms Mairin de Burca, said it would be "a sad day for Irish democracy if we do away with the presumption of innocence, because what we are actually talking about here is a civil form of internment".
Ms Cathleen O'Neill, a drug rehabilitation worker in Dublin, said she was "extremely concerned about the criminalisation of addiction that has been a feature of this campaign".
Ms Andrea Ryan, speaking to the Cork Federation of Women's Organisations, condemned the provision in the legislation accompanying the referendum which allowed for account to be taken of "whether the accused has substance addiction". She said: "The Government will effectively criminalise instead of treat addiction."