Ireland Limits Pardons to Post-Independence Convictions

0:00That's the story for today. Europe news today, driven by AI. I'm Corey with the story. Ireland's government has approved a major change to presidential pardons. Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan secured the go ahead for a new policy that limits eligibility to convictions handed down after the state was founded in 1922. The decision stems from a recent uptick in requests for very old cases, many from the era of British rule. These applications create hurdles because they involve courts and laws from a different system long before Irish independence. Pardons remain an extraordinary remedy in Ireland, used sparingly over decades. From 1937 to 2014, only three were issued, non-postumous or pre-state. Since 2015, five more have come through, but four linked to those early convictions. Department officials highlight the steep proof required for any pardon recommendation. Historical files are often incomplete, risking a lower bar over time and diluting the powers gravity.

1:02This focused approach ties Pardons firmly to the Irish state's own record, reserving them for proven wrongs in its courts and ensuring the process. Stays rigorous moving ahead.