In a statement to this House last Tuesday concerning the release of persons who appeared in court in connection with drug trafficking offences, I stated that the President of the District Court had nominated 22 District Court judges assigned to provincial District Court areas and one District Court judge assigned to the Dublin area for the purpose of extending periods of detention under the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996. This information was supplied to my Department by the President of the District Court. However, I received confirmation this evening that another district justice in Dublin, Judge Kirby, was also nominated by the President of the District Court under the Act. I regret that I inadvertently gave incorrect information, which did not emanate from me, to the House.
