INDEPENDENT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MARY DAVIS HAS EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF THE TWO REFERENDUMS THAT WILL TAKE PLACE ON THE SAME DAY AS THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

THE MAYO NATIVE SAID THERE HAD NOT BEEN ENOUGH FOCUS AND DEBATE ON THE REFERENDUMS ON REDUCING JUDGES’ PAY AND INCREASING THE POWERS OF THE OIREACHTAS TO HOLD INQUIRIES,THAT WILL BE HELD ON OCTOBER 27TH.

SHE BELIEVES THE CHANGES, IF ACCEPTED, WILL DILUTE SOME OF THE RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS THAT ARE AFFORDED TO ALL CITIZENS.

“CITIZENS SHOULD NOT CASUALLY DILUTE THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS WITHOUT VERY GOOD REASON, A THOROUGH DEBATE, AND CONSIDERABLE THOUGHT,” MS DAVIS SAID. REFERRING TO THE OIREACHTAS INQUIRIES REFERENDUM, SHE SAID THAT IF IT WAS PASSED, “THE HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS ALONE WOULD DETERMINE THE BALANCE BETWEEN THE RIGHTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST”.

ON THE JUDGES’ PAY REFERENDUM, MS DAVIS SAID THAT ALL CITIZENS RELIED ON THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY AND THE SEPARATION OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM FROM THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM.