President Higgins convenes Council of State to review Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024, addressing concerns about restrictions on political speech and protest involvement for military members.

President Michael D Higgins convenes Council of State to review Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024, which aims to establish a statutory external oversight body for the Defence Forces. Higgins raises concerns about sections 11 and 24, which prohibit serving members from publicly discussing political matters without permission and restrict individual involvement in protests. The Council of State is scheduled to meet on Monday to assess the constitutionality of the bill and determine whether it should be referred to the Supreme Court for a final decision.

July 12, 2024
17 Articles