A new law will make it easier for vulture funds to chase farm debts through the courts, opposition TDs say.

The provision, approved by the Dáil in July, allows documents to be admissible without the documentation having to be validated by the signatory. Defendants had successfully contested original bank documents being presented as evidence by vulture funds who had purchased the loans.

Opposition TDs say that the measures were shoehorned into legislation to help the justice system deal with the challenges posed by the pandemic.

It was a deception, and we feel aggrieved that it would happen

Sinn Féin justice spokesman Martin Kenny said: “We, as opposition TDs, were asked to deal with this to allow courts work more efficiently in the pandemic, things like video links, electronic filing of documents and provisions for extra coroners. We were shown a four-page briefing document, and on foot of that, it was agreed to suspend pre-legislative scrutiny of the bill.

Proponents of the bill say it addresses a growing problem in which courts were being clogged up

“Then these measures, which were never referred to in the briefing document, stuff we felt had nothing to do with the pandemic at all, was included. It was a deception, and we feel aggrieved that it would happen.” Kenny pointed out that loans can change hands multiple times before being pursued through the courts.

Proponents of the bill say it addresses a growing problem in which courts were being clogged up because in some cases, every document being presented was being challenged. Justice Minister Helen McEntee said “it will not hinder anybody in ensuring that justice is served”.

Independent TD Mattie McGrath believes the legislation was drafted “by big legal firms operating on behalf of vulture funds, to remove legal protections for farmers and small businesses”.