Criticising Bertie is Treason

Mary O'Rourke accused Enda Kenny of a “disloyal treasonous act” for being critical of Bertie Ahern's personal finances while Bertie was out of the country. In case you were wondering what treason is defined as in Ireland then this section of the Treason Act, 1939 may prove useful.

WHEREAS it is provided by Article 39 of the Constitution that treason shall consist only in levying war against the State, or assisting any State or person or inciting or conspiring with any person to levy war against the State, or attempting by force of arms or other violent means to overthrow the organs of government established by the Constitution, or taking part or being concerned in or inciting or conspiring with any person to make or to take part or be concerned in any such attempt

The Treason Act also deals with the punishment for treason

(1) Every person who commits treason within the State shall be liable on conviction thereof to suffer death.

So does Mary believe that on top of being critical of Bertie Ahern, Enda Kenny is attempting by force of arms or violent means to overthrow the Government? If she does and if she has evidence to back up her serious accusations then she should disclose that information to the Department of Justice. The Act also a section to deal with people who don't reveal what they know.

3. —Every person who, knowing that any act the commission of which would be treason is intended or proposed to be, or is being, or has been committed, does not forthwith disclose the same, together with all particulars thereof known to him, to a Justice of the District Court, or an officer of the Gárda Síochána, or some other person lawfully engaged on duties relating to the preservation of peace and order shall be guilty of the felony of misprision of treason and shall be liable on conviction thereof to penal servitude for a term not exceeding five years or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.

If on the other hand Mary just believes that anyone who is critical of Bertie is a traitor then she has a whole other set of problems that she needs to deal with and announcing them on the national airwaves may not be the best way to work them out.