The following letter to the Editor of the Irish Times was carried in the print edition of the newspaper (but not the online edition) on June 13th. We reprint it here for readers’ information. Dear Editor, We understand that the Minister for Health has been advised that it is not possible to include terminations for(…)
Constitution
Living History: The Boston College Case and the SPADs Bill
“The past invades the present, The present lives in the past, The future will never come.” The closing words of Robert Greacen’s poem, Procession, lamented the atrophy of unionism in the aftermath of partition. In the last week, the troubled passage of the Special Advisers Bill through the Northern Ireland Assembly and the UK Government’s(…)
Critical Debates on Counter-Terrorist Judicial Review: Durham, 12 June
On June 12th 2013, Durham Human Rights Centre will host a major international workshop on critical debates on counter-terrorist judicial review bringing together speakers from Europe, Australasia and North America, from the academy and from practice. These speakers (who include Kent Roach, Mark Tushnet, Jules Lobel and Helen Duffy) will offer new and fresh perspectives(…)
The Crisis of Democracy in Hungary and Romania-Learning from Weimar?
We are delighted to welcome this guest post by Dr Edward Kanterian, who is a lecturer in philosophy at the University of Kent. This post is cross-posted with Verfassungsblog. Hungary’s political development under the Orbán government is by now a familiar topic. In April Barroso confirmed the European Commission’s concern that Hungary’s new constitution infringe EU(…)
Fleming and the Right to Die
Human Rights in Ireland welcomes this guest post from Dr Eimear Spain. Eimear in a lecturer in law in University of Limerick. Marie Fleming, her family and supporters were undoubtedly disappointed by the decision of the Supreme Court this week when seven judges of the Supreme Court dismissed her appeal and ruled that there was(…)
All Liars: Thatcher and the Troubles
‘I’ve got one thing to say to you, my boy … you can’t trust the Irish, they are all liars … and that’s what you have to remember, so just don’t forget it’. Death cannot constrain the effervescent charm of Margaret Thatcher. Or maybe Peter Mandelson, who revealed this gobbet of bile to(…)
Guidelines and Assisted Suicide
We are pleased to welcome this guest post from Dr Paul Daly. Paul is Assistant Professor of Law at the Université de Montréal. He blogs at administrativelawmatters.blogspot.ca, from which this is cross-posted. The Irish Supreme Court will shortly deliver its judgment on litigation commenced against the State by Marie Fleming. Ms. Fleming is terminally ill with multiple(…)
Campaigning for Human Rights in a Time of Recession
In these recessionary times advocates for human rights in Ireland are increasingly met with a gateway demand: to relate rights to austerity rhetoric. Why rights, why now? The tendency is to dismiss rights as ‘entitlement culture’, and view rights advocates as lobbyists with unrealistic expectations.
Can a Separate Scheme for Suicide in the Abortion Legislation be Justified?
Today’s (Irish) Sunday Times reports (no online link) that at least some members of Fine Gael want the proposed abortion legislation to include a requirement that six medical professionals would certify the need for abortion in cases of suicidal ideation. Whether this claim is correct or not, and whether—if it is correct—it will survive the(…)
Campaign to End Institutional Living Day of Action
There will be a Day of Action on Tuesday, 23 April as part of the Campaign to End Institutional Living relating to the system of direct provision for asylum seekers in Ireland. This issue has been considered and discussed at great length on this blog (see all past posts on direct provision here). A large number of(…)