Donncha O’Connell
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donnchalaw.bsky.social
Donncha O’Connell
@donnchalaw.bsky.social
Law academic living in the west of Ireland. Interested in law, politics, history, theatre, music, books, art, people and dogs…not in that order.
Excellent piece by Andrew Jackson, UCD Law School:

On Environmental Democracy and the Collisons’ “Abundance-Verse”

elajucd.com/2025/11/21/o...
On Environmental Democracy and the Collisons’ “Abundance-Verse”
Andrew Jackson 21 November 2025 I. Introduction A clamour of praise greeted John Collison’s “how to get Ireland moving” Op-Ed following its publication in the Irish Times on 25th October: the Irish…
elajucd.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Reposted by Donncha O’Connell
Plans to train judges in AI and digitalisation have been set out by the European Commission.
EU launches five-year justice strategy on AI and digitalisation
Plans to train judges in AI and digitalisation have been set out by the European Commission.
www.irishlegal.com
November 21, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Ireland has formally launched its campaign for membership of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) for 2027-29

www.irishlegal.com/articles/ire...
Ireland continues UN Human Rights Council membership campaign
Ireland has formally launched its campaign for membership of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) for 2027-29. Yesterday's launch event in New York comes after the government set out its "thematic priori...
www.irishlegal.com
November 21, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Tom O’Connell’s first novel, Lichtenberg, which is set in the future, reflects contemporary events as it explores what happens in a totalitarian world where lies and hatred dominate…

connachttribune.ie/tom-offers-m...
Tom offers message of hope in debut novel - Connacht Tribune - Galway City Tribune
Tom offers message of hope in debut novel
connachttribune.ie
November 20, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Reposted by Donncha O’Connell
Government should sign defamation bill into law ‘without further delay’, Press Council says
Government should sign defamation bill into law ‘without further delay’, Press Council says
Annual report shows the number of complaints received by the Press Council was unchanged from 2023 at 305
www.irishtimes.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Reposted by Donncha O’Connell
In this forthcoming comparative paper, I argue that India's basic structure doctrine and the finality of referendums in Ireland both play an equivalent constitutional role of taking 'final say sovereignty' away from politicians.
Pre-publication draft: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
November 19, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Excellent letter in The Irish Times about proposed new restrictions on judicial review and access to justice…
November 19, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Couple with intellectual disabilities will be able to marry following judge’s decision

www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/co...
Couple with intellectual disabilities will be able to marry following judge’s decision
Residential care centre sought a declaration that one of its residents lacked the capacity to consent to marriage
www.irishtimes.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Cás láidir déanta ag Eoin Ó Nuanáin, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, agus é ina bhuaiteoir ar Bhréagchúirt Uí Dhálaigh

Dhá fhoireann ó Ollscoil na Gaillimhe a bhí in aghaidh a chéile i gcraobhchomóras Bréagchúirt Uí Dhálaigh le déanaí. Bhí an lá le Eoin Ó Nuanáin

tuairisc.ie/gailearai-ca...
GAILEARAÍ: Cás láidir déanta ag Eoin Ó Nuanáin, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, agus é ina bhuaiteoir ar Bhréagchúirt Uí Dhálaigh
Dhá fhoireann ó Ollscoil na Gaillimhe a bhí in aghaidh a chéile i gcraobhchomóras Bréagchúirt Uí Dhálaigh le déanaí. Bhí an lá le Eoin Ó Nuanáin. Pictiúir: Seán Ó Mainnín
tuairisc.ie
November 18, 2025 at 6:32 AM
Councillors win key High Court concession against government plan for smaller apartment sizes

www.thejournal.ie/apartments-c...
Councillors win key High Court concession against government plan for smaller apartment sizes
Under the Housing Minister’s plans, some of the biggest cost savings for each apartment will be found by cutting down on floor space.
www.thejournal.ie
November 17, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Civil legal aid review failed to see scheme as a tool for social change, @uniofgalwaylaw.bsky.social conference on ‘Public Interest Litigation & Access to Justice told. Moves to restrict access to judicial review also criticised.

www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/20...
Civil legal aid review failed to see scheme as a tool for social change, conference told
Moves to restrict access to judicial review criticised
www.irishtimes.com
November 16, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Noel Dorr: ‘To understand the Troubles, you must go back much further’

Forty years after the Anglo-Irish Agreement, the former diplomat still sees Sunningdale as the peace deal that got way

www.irishtimes.com/life-style/p...
Noel Dorr: ‘To understand the Troubles, you must go back much further’
Forty years after the Anglo-Irish Agreement, the former diplomat still sees Sunningdale as the peace deal that got way
www.irishtimes.com
November 16, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Day 2 of our @uniofgalwaylaw.bsky.social conference on Public Interest Litigation & Access to Justice focusing on practitioner and litigant perspectives chaired by Mr Justice Cian Ferriter of the High Court with two stellar panels of speakers
November 15, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Police and crime commissioners to be abolished in England and Wales

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Police and crime commissioners to be abolished
Home secretary says PCCs, in England and Wales, were ‘failed experiment’ – and scrapping them will save £100m over this parliament
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 7:03 AM
And now for a marathon ‘Thematic Issues’ session to close off Day 1 of our @uniofgalwaylaw.bsky.social
conference on Public Interest Litigation & Access to Justice chaired by Professor Roja Fazaeli of @uniofgalwayichr.bsky.social. Back tomorrow with a stellar panel of legal practitioners…
November 14, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Great to hear from Professor Helen Duffy of Leiden University with Professor Ciara Smyth of @uniofgalwaylaw.bsky.social and @uniofgalwayichr.bsky.social for our session on strategic use of international mechanisms at our conference on Public Interest Litigation & Access to Justice
November 14, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Our @uniofgalwaylaw.bsky.social conference on Public Interest Litigation & Access to Justice off to a great start in the Michael D. Higgins Auditorium in @uniofgalway.bsky.social - great turnout of students, activists, academics and practitioners, excellent papers, very good atmosphere
November 14, 2025 at 12:30 PM
One more sleep…but, in reality, no sleep. Hope everyone turns up (forgot to warn our speakers about Christmas Jumper Day in Galway!)…
November 13, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Attracta Uí Bhroin: Judicial reviews serve the common good. Rather than castigating public-spirited ordinary people concerned by planning problems, the Government should focus on properly resourcing the planning and legal systems

www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...
Judicial reviews serve the common good
Rather than castigating public-spirited ordinary people concerned by planning problems, the Government should focus on properly resourcing the planning and legal systems
www.irishexaminer.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Reposted by Donncha O’Connell
Alt ag ceann de phríomhsheirbhísi nuachta na Catalóinise @vilaweb.cat faoi thábhacht na Gaeilge i bhfís Catherine Connolly @president.ie dá huachtaránacht.

Catalan news service @vilaweb.cat emphasises the importance of Irish for Catherine Connolly's presidency.

www.vilaweb.cat/noticies/cat...
Catherine Connolly: Irlanda té una nova presidenta, que vol fer renéixer la llengua
Catherine Connolly va prendre possessió dimarts com a presidenta d’Irlanda, amb un discurs profundament simbòlic i emotiu, centrat en la reivindicació de l’irlandès com a llengua viva, essencial per a...
www.vilaweb.cat
November 13, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Dóchas go scaipfidh sampla an Chéad Saoránaigh i leith na Gaeilge ar fud na seirbhíse poiblí. Meastar go bhféadfadh an tUachtarán nua dearcadh níos dearfaí i leith na teanga a spreagadh ar fud na seirbhíse poiblí

tuairisc.ie/dochas-go-sc...
Dóchas go scaipfidh sampla an Chéad Saoránaigh i leith na Gaeilge ar fud na seirbhíse poiblí
Meastar go bhféadfadh an tUachtarán nua dearcadh níos dearfaí i leith na teanga a spreagadh ar fud na seirbhíse poiblí
tuairisc.ie
November 12, 2025 at 6:05 AM
Reposted by Donncha O’Connell
The Independent Commission on UK Counter-Terrorism Law's report has been published this morning. ☕
binghamcentre.biicl.org/documents/22...
binghamcentre.biicl.org
November 11, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Legal experts and politicians criticise process used to ban Palestine Action in UK

Independent commission says definition of terrorism relied on by ministers is too broad and more parliamentary oversight is needed

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Legal experts and politicians criticise process used to ban Palestine Action
Independent commission says definition of terrorism relied on by ministers is too broad and more parliamentary oversight is needed
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:26 AM
Reposted by Donncha O’Connell
Sanctuary Runners lined the avenue as President Higgins left and presented him with two yellow roses representing friendship and joy.

The President is a patron of the running group, which brings locals and migrants together in communities around the country.

www.rte.ie/news/ireland...
President Higgins departs Áras an Uachtaráin
President Michael D Higgins has departed Áras an Uachtaráin as his term as President of Ireland comes to an end.
www.rte.ie
November 10, 2025 at 6:59 PM