Catherine Connolly's surprising swipe at Government 'pressuring' EU court about deportation of violent criminals has legal experts and politicians warning the President might be straying too far into voicing her own…

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Last December, Ireland was among more than 20 countries that signed a statement calling for European human rights rules to be interpreted to make it simpler to deport foreign criminals.

Published: 22:56 GMT, 9 November 2026 | Updated: 22:56 GMT, 9 November 2026

PRESIDENT Catherine Connolly has criticised ‘pressure’ by the Government on the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to allow states to deport violent criminals more easily.

The move is seen within the Government as one of the first specific interventions on its policies by Ms Connolly since she took up office last year, the Irish Daily Mail understands.

Last December, Ireland was among more than 20 countries that signed a statement calling for European human rights rules to be interpreted to make it simpler to deport foreign criminals. In a speech in Slovenia last month, Ms Connolly warned that the ECHR was ‘under pressure from its own member states’.

President Catherine Connolly speaks to media in Brdo, Slovenia, in October

Now the President is facing calls to ‘steer clear of her own personal viewpoints’ on the issue, from the leader of Independent Ireland, Michael Collins. He said he ‘personally’ didn’t think Ms Connolly should be intervening in day-to-day policy matters of the Government.

Constitutional law expert Dr Jamie McLoughlin said Ms Connolly’s comments could be viewed as ‘implied criticism’.

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan, who signed Ireland up to the joint statement, said in a speech at the time: ‘The clear starting point is that a state party can expel foreigners convicted of serious crimes even though they have acquired ties to their host country; for example, if they have established a family life there.’

The joint statement called for Article 8 of the ECHR, which protects the right to a family life, to be ‘adjusted so that more weight is put on the nature and seriousness of the offence committed and less weight is put on the foreign criminal’s social, cultural, and family ties with the host country’.

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