CONFIDENTIAL
IRISH REPUBLIC
Report by HM Embassy, Dublin
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Right No.
(i) Under the Criminal Law Act, 1976,
persons suspected of certain terrorist offences may be detained by the police, without charge, for a maximum of 7 days. Internment without trial was practised during the Second World War and again during the IRA campaign of 1956-62 under the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act 1940 which applied particularly to members of the Irish Republican Army. is conceivable that under extreme pressure from the IRA, internment might be re- introduced; but this is very unlikely in the foreseeable future.
(ii) Torture is not used as an instrument of policy in the Republic of Ireland.
It
(iii) Slavery does not exist in the Republic of
Ireland.
(iv) Official censorship is applied to publications.
It is normally concerned with the prot- ection of public morality rather than public order. Newspapers are required by the Constitution (Article 40.6.i) not to publish material to undermine public order or morality or the authority of the State. The State radio and television network is prohibited from broadcasting interviews with members of extreme Republican organisations and Section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1976 provides for the prosecution of persons guilty of inciting others to join unlawful organis- ations (at present the IRA is the only "unlawful" organisation).
CONFIDENTIAL
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