Both governments in Ireland promote the criminal law as the most appropriate method for countering terrorism. Yet, the governments have chosen to drastically change the nature of traditional criminal sanctions and criminal law processes. Thus, the rhetoric about the rule of law is paradoxically belied by the establishment of special procedures which acknowledge the inadequacy of traditional law and legal processes. Thus, the efforts of the state to either retain or regain legitimacy have fundamentally influenced the substance and the status of the criminal law in Ireland. The parallels in the coercion used in the two states suggest how variations in the nature of the organized resistance may have little effect on the state's response, provided the goals of such political dissent remain constant. Historical background and descriptions of criminal procedures, including detention, interrogation, and court procedures, are included. Notes and a list of 17 references are supplied.