THE House passed the second stage of the Sixteenth Amendment of the Constitution Bill which paves the way for the holding of a referendum on bail next month.

There was a general welcome for the measure which will allow courts to refuse bail for serious offences or if the accused has a criminal or drug abuse record. At present the courts are limited to taking account of the likelihood of the accused not turning up or witnesses being interfered with.

Mr Austin Deasy (FG, Waterford) said he believed the referendum would be passed by a huge majority. It would tilt the balance of the justice system in favour of the general public and would take out of the community people who laughed in the face of the Garda after they walked free on bail.