Statute Law Repeals - Law Commission - Ministry of Justice

4.35 As the years went by the need for the police to control assorted public nuisances
and anti-social acts increased (necessitating enlargement of their statutory
powers). The Dublin Police Act 1842 44 regulated a significant range of matters
relating to criminal process and prohibition of nuisance (such as the concealment
of evidence, the maintaining of disorderly premises, the control of drunken
behaviour, the misuse of police uniforms, and a host of matters pertaining to
good rule and government). Provision was also made for arrest and bail without
warrant in a range of situations. In harness with these changes, the justices’
powers to deal with procedural and trial issues were also extended.
4.36 The Dublin Police Act 1848 45 contained miscellaneous provisions relating to the
local administration of justice and, more particularly, altering arrangements for the
regulation of hackney and stage carriages (including varying carriage stands and
licensing carriage and omnibus drivers), and adjustment of the regime for
recovery of local rates and police tax within Dublin.
4.37 The management structure for the Dublin police force (headed by two police
commissioners) remained unchanged 46 since the format introduced in 1836. The
Dublin Police Act 1859 47 changed the model of two commissioners to a single
commissioner supported by an assistant commissioner, and enabled the
Treasury commissioners to consolidate the separate offices of receiver, secretary
and supervisor of taxes in a new office of accountant. The lord lieutenant was
authorised to merge the separate police divisions in Dublin and to reduce the
number of justices sitting in the police courts.
4.38 By 1867 changes had to be made to the arrangements for police superannuation.
The Dublin Police Act 1867 48 removed the fixed rate of pension contribution by
serving officers, and gave the lord lieutenant power to establish a superannuation
scheme (with power to forfeit individual pension rights in the event of misconduct
in office).
4.39 After Irish independence in 1922 the Dublin Metropolitan Police were renamed
Poilini Atha Cliath and, in April 1925, they were amalgamated with the national
police force, an Garda Siochana. Although the Acts from 1824 to 1859 (but not
the 1867 Act) have been retained on Ireland’s statute book, they all are now
spent in the UK.
Justice
4.40 The Four Courts in Dublin are the centre of the justice system in Ireland (today
housing the Supreme Court and senior courts). The Four Courts were
established on their present site in 1796 (originally designed in 1776 to
accommodate only the Office of Public Records and the King’s Inns).
44 5 & 6 Vict. c.24 (1842).
45 11 & 12 Vict. c.113 (1848).
46 Except for the funding arrangements: from 1854 onwards salaries had been paid from the
annual parliamentary estimates rather than the consolidated fund.
47 22 & 23 Vict. c.52 (1859).
48 30 & 31 Vict. c.95 (1867).
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