State (O) v Daly

JurisdictionIreland
Judgment Date07 July 1977
Date07 July 1977
Docket Number[1975
CourtSupreme Court

Supreme Court

[1975 No. 508 SS.]
The State (O.) v. Daly
The State (at the Prosecution of O.)
and
Liam Daly

Criminal law - Legal aid - Indictable offence - Detainee in mental hospital - Certificate of District Justice - Detainee transferred to Central Mental Hospital - Mental Treatment Act, 1945 (No. 19), s. 207 - Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Act, 1962 (No. 12), s. 2.

Appeal from the High Court.

On the 1st October, 1975, the High Court (Hamilton J.) made an order pursuant to the provisions of Article 40, s. 4, sub-s. 2, of the Constitution of Ireland, 1937, directing the respondent (the clinical director of the Central Mental Hospital) to produce the prosecutor before the High Court and to certify in writing the grounds of the detention of the prosecutor in the Central Mental Hospital. The respondent certified that the prosecutor was being detained pursuant to an order made by District Justice Dunleavy on the 28th March, 1974, under s. 207, sub-s. 1, of the Mental Treatment Act, 1945, and to an order made by the Minister for Health on the 11th June, 1974, under sub-s. 2 of that section. The return made by the respondent and the evidence adduced by the prosecutor were considered by Hamilton J. on the 6th November and on the 4th December, 1975, he ordered the release of the prosecutor because at the hearing of the proceedings in the District Mental Hospital the prosecutor had not been informed of his right to legal assistance and had not received such assistance. Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Act, 1962, states1 that if it appears to the District Court that (inter alia) by reason of the gravity of the charge or of exceptional circumstances it is essential in the interests of justice that an accused should have legal aid "in the preparation and conduct of his defence" the court, on application being made to it, shall grant him a certificate for free legal aid and, thereupon, the accused shall be entitled to such aid. The provisions of s. 207 of the Mental Treatment Act, 1945, appear in the judgment of O'Higgins C.J., infra.

The respondent appealed to the Supreme Court from the judgment and order of the High Court. The appeal was heard on the 20th May, 1977.

Section 207 of the Act of 1945 states that where a detainee in a district mental hospital stands charged with an indictable offence before a justice of the District Court sitting in such hospital and evidence is given which, in the opinion of the justice, constitutes prima facie evidence that the detainee has committed the offence and that, if placed on trial, he would be unfit to plead, the justice shall certify that the detainee is suitable for transfer to the Central Mental Hospital. Section 2 of the Act of 1962 states that where it appears to the District Court that (inter alia) it is essential in the...

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9 cases
  • Kirwan v Minister for Justice
    • Ireland
    • High Court
    • 1 January 1994
    ...the advisory committee was necessarily, as a matter of fairness, entitled to legal aid to enable him to do so. The State (0.) v. DalyIR [1977] I.R. 312 distinguished. 3. That accordingly, if none of the existing schemes of legal aid included within their scope applications such as the one i......
  • Magee v Farrell and Others
    • Ireland
    • Supreme Court
    • 28 July 2009
    ...legal representation. Reporter: P.C CORONERS ACT 1962 CONSTITUTION ART 38 HEALY, STATE v DONOGHUE & ORS 1976 IR 325 O, STATE v DALY 1977 IR 312 K SECURITY LTD & KAVANAGH v IRELAND & AG UNREP GANNON 15.7.1977 1977/5/886 CONDON v CIE & ORS UNREP BARRINGTON 16.11.1984 1985/1/52 C (M) v LEGAL......
  • S (v T) v Health Service Executive & Mercy University Hospital Ltd
    • Ireland
    • High Court
    • 11 February 2009
    ...42, Minister for Justice v Butenas [2008] IESC 9, [2008] 4 IR 189, DP v Governor of the Training Unit [2001] IR 493 and State (O) v Daly [1977] IR 312 considered - Constitution of Ireland 1937, Articles 40.1, 40.3, 40.4.2 and 40.4.3 - Health Act, 1947 (No 28), ss 2, 29 and 38 - Health Act 1......
  • Grogan v Parole Board & Min for Justice
    • Ireland
    • High Court
    • 27 June 2008
    ...JUSTICE LEGAL AID ACT 1962 O'DONOGHUE v LEGAL AID BOARD & ORS 2006 4 IR 204 HEALY, STATE v O'DONOGHUE 1976 IR 325 O, STATE v DALY 1977 IR 312 MENTAL TREATMENT ACT 1945 K SECURITY LTD & KAVANAGH v IRELAND UNREP GANNON 15.7.77 1977/5/886 CONDON v CIE UNREP BARRINGTON 16.11.84 1985/1/52 REGU......
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