Patrick McCartan
Question:31 Mr. McCartan asked the Minister for Justice the steps he intends to take in light of the decision of the Supreme Court on 8 March, 1990 that hundreds of criminal convictions made by a district justice in four years up to 1988 are invalid, because of a mistake made by his Department regarding the age of the justice and the fact that the attempt by the Oireachtas to validate the convictions was unconstitutional; if persons convicted by the district justice can seek to have their convictions declared invalid and seek to have fines repaid; if he will outline the implications of the Supreme Court judgment for decisions made by the justice in civil cases and our judicial system generally; and if he will make a statement on the matter.