Government plans to rush the newly-published Criminal Justice Bill through the Dáil next week have been strongly criticised by the Law Society and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL).
However, Tánaiste and Minister for Justice Michael McDowell said the proposals in the Bill had been "well aired and analysed in public debates in recent months".
The proposed legislation would permit Garda detention of suspects in so-called "tiger" kidnappings for up to seven days and provides for mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years in drugs cases where the illegal substances have a value of €500,000 or more.
"Consideration of this Bill by the Oireachtas should be postponed until after the general election," said Ken Murphy, director-general of the Law Society, which represents solicitors.
"The Law Society believes it is dangerous to make law in this complex and important area at this pace.
"Both technical and policy errors will almost inevitably result from rushing this Bill through without an opportunity for it to be properly examined and evaluated."
ICCL director Mark Kelly said: "Recent events should have shown the folly of rushing criminal justice legislation through the Dáil, and the ICCL hopes that the adoption of these poorly-conceived measures will be postponed until their merits can be fully debated."
However, Mr McDowell said the legislation would "make a very significant contribution to the fight against criminal gangs".
He drew attention to the "comprehensive nature" of the measures in the Bill, widely-reported in advance, which deal with detention, bail, sentencing and how the trial court is to deal with the silence or non-co-operation of accused persons.
Mr McDowell will introduce the Bill at Second Stage in the Dáil on Thursday, with a view to having it enacted and on the statute book by Easter.
He was confident the main Opposition parties would co-operate in the passage of "this essential legislation".
Fine Gael justice spokesman Jim O'Keeffe said the Bill, published in the aftermath of the latest gangland shooting, was "a frantic move by a failing Minister".
"Fine Gael will not hold up the passage of the Bill through the Oireachtas but we are determined to ensure that it is watertight and robust."
Labour Party justice spokesman Brendan Howlin complained that only a week had been allowed for parliamentarians to examine "some of the most serious proposals ever to be put before the Dáil in terms of the criminal law".
Welcoming the proposal for a Garda executive management board involving outside nominees, Mr Howlin said it was "a step in the right direction".
Sinn Féin justice spokesman Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD said: "Communities will look at McDowell's record on gangland crime and they won't expect too much from his latest well-publicised legislative initiative."
Lorna Siggins, Marine Correspondent writes: The Federation of Irish Fishermen has expressed "astonishment" at the inclusion of measures relating to the fishing industry within the Criminal Justice Bill. Section eight of the Bill gives additional powers to sea fishery officers which are normally held by the Garda.
Lorcan Ó Cinneide, chairman of the federation, said the section's tone suggested that fishermen were now regarded as being in the same league as "gun runners, drug barons and racketeers".
The Bill is available on www.oireachtas.ie
