Law Commons^™

Prisoner's Rights And The Separation Of Powers: Comparing Approaches In Ireland, Scotland And England And Wales., Mary Rogan

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The decision of Hogan J in Kinsella v. Governor of Mountjoy Prison [2011] IEHC 235 (hereinafter Kinsella) is an important development in the protection of prisoners’ constitutional rights in Ireland. The decision, which found that a prisoner’s right to have his person protected had been breached by his detention in a padded cell with a cardboard box for use as a toilet in conditions amounting to a form of sensory deprivation, may represent a new direction for prison law jurisprudence. The judgment is also of significance for its analysis of the circumstances in which conditions of detention can give rise …

Brown, Governor Of California Et Al V. Plata Et Al., Mary Rogan

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The case of Brown, Governor of California et at v. Plata et al (hereinafter Plata) is one of the most eye-catching decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States in recent times. The result in itself – the upholding of an order of a Californian District Court to reduce the state’s prison population by up to 46,000 prisoners – would warrant attention. The reasoning of the Court and the differences between the majority and minority are also, however, most significant. The willingness of the Court to uphold the drastic measure of ordering a sizeable reduction in the Californian prison …

Dealing With Overcrowding In Prisons: Contrasting Judicial Approaches From The Usa And Ireland., Mary Rogan

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Two recent decisions, one given by the Supreme Court of the United States of America and one of the Irish High Court, address the consequences of overcrowding in prisons. In Brown, Governor of California et at v. Plata et al1 (hereinafter Plata) the US Supreme Court upheld a decision of a three judge federal court requiring the State of California to reduce its prison population to 137.5% of the prison system’s design capacity, requiring the release of up to 46,000 prisoners. The Court agreed that the overcrowding in the Californian prison system had caused the breach of prisoners’ rights under …

Improving Criminal Justice Data And Policy, Mary Rogan

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Criminal justice policy in Ireland is often criticised for lacking a robust evidence base.

Increased knowledge about crime and criminal justice may act to enrich all types of criminological enquiry and policy formation. This paper explores the potential of large population registries, similar to those created in the health sector, to inform criminal justice policymaking. The paper looks at the importance of such data collection for criminal justice research and policy and the potential hurdles to its development.

Occupational Noise Exposure Of Nightclub Bar Employees In Ireland, Gary Henehan, Aoife Kelly, Sara Boyd, Gordon Chambers

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Due to the transposition of the EU Directive 2003/10/EC into Irish Law, the entertainment sector was obligated to comply with the requirements of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007, Chapter 1 Part 5: Control of Noise at Work since February 2008. Compliance with the Noise Regulations was examined in 9 nightclubs in Ireland. The typical daily noise exposure of 19 bar employees was measured using 2 logging dosimeters and a Type 1 fixed position sound level meter. Physical site inspections identified nightclub noise control measures. Interviews and questionnaires were used to assess the managers and …

Government Policies Must Keep Business On Tight Rein, Paul Donnelly, John Hogan, Brendan O'Rourke

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The unethical behaviour that helped create the economic and banking crisis has caught the attention of some parties.

The Innocence Rights Of Sentenced Offenders, Mary Rogan

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Civil orders which take effect after a person has been released from a sentence of imprisonment have become more common features of Irish law. Despite representing a major departure from the principle that when a person has served a sentence the state has no further „call‟ on that person, such orders have received limited attention. This article examines some of these new orders, in particular section 26 and section 26A of the Criminal Justice Act 2007. It argues that these orders should be of concern, suggesting that they are likely to act as barriers to reintegration of ex-prisoners, represent a …

Criminalizing Corporate Killing: The Irish Approach, Bruce Carolan

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The debate on criminal corporate liability in the United States might benefit from a comparative perspective: How have other countries treated the criminal liability of corporate entities? This benefit might be enhanced by focusing on a country with a similar legal heritage to the United States—a country with a common law legal system inherited from the British. And, it would help if that country were concurrently examining the issue of criminal corporate liability. Interesting questions might include: What issues dominate the debate? How are issues of punishment, reparations, and rehabilitation handled? Is a legislative approach contemplated? The purpose of this …

Applying Geographic Information Systems To Support Strategic Environmental Assessment: Opportunities And Limitations In The Context Of Irish Land-Use Plans, Ainhoa Gonzalez, Alan Gilmer, Ronan Foley, John Sweeney, John Fry

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The strengthening of spatial database infrastructures, further promoted by the INSPIRE Directive adopted in 2007, has led to an increased use of spatial data in planning and decision-making. Given that land-use plans are intrinsically spatial, such evidence and approaches can significantly benefit plan-making. A spatial framework could especially support the specific Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) aspects of the plan-making process. Spatial tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are particularly well-placed to support the environmental integration sought in SEA by providing evidence through the spatial assessment of multiple environmental datasets. Moreover, GIS bring the opportunity to augment conventional assessment techniques …

The Montreal Convention And The Preemption Of Air Passenger Harm Claims, Marc Mcdonald

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The article examines the evolution and present state of the law governing the preemption of passenger claims for compensation for harm arising from international air travel under the Montreal and Warsaw Conventions

'Have We All Gone Bats?' - The Strict Protection Of Wildlife Under The Habitats Directive And Tourism Development: Some Lessons From Ireland, Marc Mcdonald

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This article explores the impact of the legal protection of bats under EU wildilfe legislation on tourism development in Ireland.

Jurisdictions And Causes Of Action In Bullying, Stress And Harassment Cases Part 1, Niall Neligan

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This is the first of a two part article in which the author will critically evaluate the different causes of action and myriad of jurisdictions for bringing a claim in the inter-related fields of bullying, stress and harassment in the workplace from a commercial law perspective. The author will define and trace the separate headings under which the law governing bullying, stress and harassment has evolved. In the second part of the article (which will
appear in the next edition of the journal), the author will examine recent developments in tortious claims for psychiatric injuries arising from bullying, stress and …

Study On Online Hotel Reservation Systems, Frank Alleweldt, Klaus Tonner, Marc Mcdonald

Articles

This study, conducted by Civic Consulting, looks at both pre-contractual and contractual matters concerning online hotel reservation systems, examines relevant Community rules, identifies gaps and, where needed, discusses possible policy options. Key conclusions The study shows that the impact of Community law on online hotel

The Supremacy Of Ec Law In Ireland, Elaine Fahey

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No abstract provided.

The Treaty Of Lisbon And The Reformed Jurisdictional Powers Of The European Court Of Justice In The Field Of Justice And Home Affairs., Stephen Carruthers

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This Article analyses the jurisdictional powers of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in respect of Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) measures both under pre-Lisbon Title VI TEU and post-Lisbon under Title V of Part Three TFEU. In Part one, it assesses the deficiencies of the pre-Lisbon system. In particular it analyses the negative consequences for legitimacy arising from the restrictions on justiciability in respect of pre-Lisbon JHA measures in light of case law of the CJEU and the European Court of Human Rights. In Part two, it outlines the genesis and substance of the reforms in …

Jurisdictions And Causes Of Action: Commercial Considerations In Dealing With Bullying, Stress And Harassment Cases-Part Ii, Niall Neligan

Articles

In the concluding part of this two part article, the author will
examine how the courts have developed rules for dealing with
tortious claims for psychiatric injuries arising out of bullying, stress
and harassment cases. The article will examine whether it is
desirable to consolidate and codify employment rights law in order
to provide clarity to prospective litigants. Finally, the author will
argue that if codification is required, then this will necessitate a
change in the nature of present jurisdictions for bringing claims
involving bullying, stress and harassment in the workplace.

Extending The Reach Of The State Into The Post-Sentence Period: Section 26 Of The Criminal Justice Act 2007, Mary Rogan

Articles

The Criminal Justice Act 2007 heralded a plethora of changes to Irish criminal law and procedure. The law on sentencing was also affected by its provisions. The focus of this article is on section 26 of that Act which introduces a general power on a court to make an order while passing sentence which will take effect on the expiration of a sentence of imprisonment. Under section 26 a court can impose two such orders, the “monitoring” order and the “protection of persons” order. The author assesses the background to the introduction of these dispositions and the potential application and …

The Birth Of The European Union: Us And Uk Roles In The Creation Of A Unified European Community, Bruce Carolan

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The United States jealously guards its national sovereignty. This has been reflected in reluctance to participate fully in international agreements or organizations with a 'supranational' flavor, such as the International Criminal Court or the Kyoto Protocols. It is therefore surprising to find that the United States was one of the principal architects of the supranational characteristics of what has developed into the European Union. Specifically, the earliest stages of European integration, which is embodied in the European Coal and Steel Community Treaty, were heavily influenced by US insistence on creation of supranational institutions that could exert dominance over sovereign European …

Study On Safety And Liability Issues Relating To Package Travel, Frank Alleweldt, Klaus Tonner, Marc Mcdonald

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This study on safety and liability issues relating to package travel, package holidays and package tours highlights some of the gaps in the EU package travel law by answering a number of specific questions related to statistical evidence, Community legislation, and US legislation. It also suggests possible solutions to fill these gaps. The study was prepared by Civic Consulting and is based on a legal analysis, a literature review, an evaluation of statistical data, and on interviews with European and national travel and tour operator associations, individual tour operators, European and national associations of insurers, individual insurance companies, and European …

The Amended Proposal For A Directive On Services In The Internal Market And Its Potential Impact On The Irish Tourism Industry, Bruce Carolan

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The European Union Services Directive, Directive 2006/123, was very controversial. The popular press focused on that aspect of the Directive which would have allowed employers to comply with the 'home' regulations when offering services in an EU 'host' country. For example, a cleaning service could employ Polish workers to clean Irish offices and paid them according to Polish minimum wage laws. As a result of the controversy, this aspect of the Directive was dropped. The controversy deflected attention from the broader impact of the Services Directive. The Directive, as ultimately adopted, will require member states to conduct an 'audit' of …

Creating A Framework For A Single European Sky:The Opportunity Cost Of Reorganising European Airspace, Niall Neligan

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The object of this article is to critically evaluate the legal framework for a European Single Sky project in light of the recent European Court of Justice decision in International Air Transport Association v The Department of Transport. The article will examine in detail the framework regulations outlining the major provisions from the recommendations of the Commission's High Level Group in 2000, to the implementation at a micro-level by national authorities of the legislation adopted in 2004. Furthermore, this article will examine whether the savings to air service providers from the Single European Sky project in the long term will …

Air Passenger Rights:A New Departure In European Aviation Law, Niall Neligan

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The purpose of this article is to critically evaluate the legal and economic implications of the framework for passenger rights under Regulation 261/2004 in light of the recent decision of the Court of Justice in International Air Transport Association v The Department of Transport . This article will examine in detail the Regulation,
outlining the major provisions contained within, the legal challenge brought by the International Air Transport Association (“IATA”) and the European Low Fares Association (“ELFA”) and the impact
it will have on passenger rights in the European Union. Furthermore, the article will conclude by examining how national enforcement …

Judicial Impediments To Legislating Equality For Same-Sex Couples In The European Union, Bruce Carolan

Articles

In the United States, the state and federal courts often has been the first port of call for activists hoping to advance the cause of same-sex couples. State courts, in particular, have ruled on occasion that guarantees of equal rights or due process contained in state constitutions require recognition of same-sex marriage or civil unions. These court decisions, in turn, have sparked a legislative backlash. Legislators and voters have rejected these court decisions by amending state constitutions to limit the rights of same-sex couples. The European Union represents, in some ways, the mirror image of the United States experience. The …

Beware Of Lawyers Bearing Gifts:A Critical Evaluation Of The Proposals On Fundamental Rights In The Draft Constitutional Treaty., Stephen Carruthers

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The article assesses how far the provisions on fundamental rights contained in the draft Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe advance the objectives of promotion of the rule of law, transparency, a balanced relationship between the Union and national legal orders, and effective judicial redress. Argues that while the proposed accession of the Union to the European Convention on Human Rights 1950 and incorporation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union 2000, notwithstanding justiciability problems, deserve support, the retention of the general principles of law as a source of fundamental rights and the suggested amendments to the …

The Search For Coherence In The Use Of Foreign Court Judgements By The Supreme Court Of Ireland, Bruce Carolan

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The reference to foreign court judgments by the US Supreme Courts - particularly in cases involving the US Constitution - has sparked controversy. This controversy flared in Lawrence v. Texas, where Justice Scalia criticized Justice Kennedy for reference to judgments by the European Court of Human Rights in Justice Kennedy's majority opinion striking down the Texas sodomy statute. This article examines the issue from a different perspective: references to 'foreign' court judgments (including US Supreme Court opinions) by the Supreme Court of Ireland. The article examines the Irish Supreme Court's use of judgments from the European Court of Justice, the …

Beware Of Lawyers Bearing Ggifts: A Critical Evaluation Of The Report Of Wg Ii To The European Convention On Incorporation Of The Eu Charter Of Fundamental Rights And Accession To The European Convention Of Human Rights., Stephen Carruthers

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This article undertakes a critical analysis of the fundamental rights provisions of the draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe as presented to the President of the European Council in Rome on 18 July 2003, and in particular the Articles in Parts I and II of the draft Constitution incorporating proposals made in the final Report of Working Group II on “Incorporation of the Charter/Accession to the ECHR”.

Rights Of Sexual Minorities In Ireland And Europe: Rhetoric Versus Reality, Bruce Carolan

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Superficially, Irish and European Community law proclaim the rights of sexual minorities - particularly in web sites and printed information designed for public consumption. The reality is different. This article identifies a gap between the public pronouncements on the rights of sexual minorities under Irish and EC law. It employs a hypothetical fact situation to suggest that existing legal protections are anemic, and argues that the potential failure of affected groups to identify these deficiencies (due to contradictory claims in public information campaigns) could endanger efforts to effect progressive change.

An Army Of Lovers?: Queering The Ministry Of Defense Report Of The Homosexual Policy Assessment Team, Bruce Carolan

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Certain queer theorists argue that gay men and lesbians are banned from military service in certain countries not due to a fear of otherness. Instead, they are prohibited from serving precisely because of a fear that the opposite might be true -- that introducing openly gay people into a 'homosocial' environment might destabilize accepted notions of sexuality among members of the service who presently constitute themselves as heterosexual. This article explores that idea in the context of the Report of the Homosexual Policy Assessment Team established to defend exclusion of openly gay people from military service in the United Kingdom. …

Us Supreme Court Confronts 'Right To Die', Bruce Carolan

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This article covers the US Supreme Court's decisions regarding physician-assisted suicide for a UK audience.