One bad refereeing decision does not mean that an entire system of refereeing, in any sport, is rotten or corrupt or some other system should be introduced.
In the same way, one bad decision of a judge in one of hundreds of thousands of cases decided and ruled upon every year in Ireland does not mean the system is corrupt or rotten or broken and needs to be replaced.
I don’t agree with the Judge’s decision in the Natasha O’Brien case. I believe he made a mistake and was unduly lenient.
But no system of justice is perfect. The system in Ireland has the same imperfections and infirmities as systems of justice elsewhere.
But one bad decision does not mean it is not fit for purpose or should be replaced with something as yet unidentified.
The justice system, like democracy, is not perfect.
But the alternatives are much worse.
Let’s wait and see the full extent of the system being put to the test repeatedly over time and then decide.
And an appeal by the DPP of the leniency of the sentence is the next step to test the system to its full extent.