Public Interest Litigation Support (PILS)
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pilsni.bsky.social
Public Interest Litigation Support (PILS)
@pilsni.bsky.social
210 followers 420 following 82 posts
Since 2009, PILS has connected human rights NGOs and lawyers to pursue cases that challenge injustice, protect human rights, and promote equality in Northern Ireland.

https://pilsni.org/
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pilsni.bsky.social
We’re back! 🎙️ To Be Fair NI returns with stories of hope, collaboration & legal changemaking.

In Ep1, Cuisle Nic Liam, Úna Boyd & Iryna Kennedy talk bilingual signage, language rights & testing new legal ground.

Éist: www.podbean.com/ew/pb-uupq3-19bf11b

@cnagaeilge.bsky.social @cajni.bsky.social
Iryna, Una and Cuisle are all smiling directly at the camera. The PILS logo appears on a teal green background, with the To Be Fair NI podcast title in hot pink capital letters.
November 13, 2025 at 2:47 PM
pilsni.bsky.social
🆕Podcast Alert🆕

To Be Fair NI returns for Series 2 on Thurs 13 Nov 2025.

Join us for special #WeDoProBono interviews, reuniting incredible activists and Pro Bono Register lawyers.

Justice is a team sport. @cajni.bsky.social @cnagaeilge.bsky.social @probonoweekuk.bsky.social #CILNI #BarofNI
November 6, 2025 at 3:04 PM
pilsni.bsky.social
At last night’s #ProBonoWeek UK launch, there was a powerful reminder that legal pro bono takes many forms.

The Know Your Rights to Protest guide, created with 5 pro bono barristers, shows how legal skills can meet grassroots needs here in NI.

Link in comments. #WeDoProBono
Emma's laptop screen shows the live stream of the UK PBW launch event from London. The lovely forest green cover of the Protest Guide.
November 4, 2025 at 10:18 AM
pilsni.bsky.social
🗓️One week to go!

Join @pilsni.bsky.social and our @probonoweekuk.bsky.social colleagues across Scotland, England and Wales as we celebrate 'Pro Bono in Action'.

Check out the #UKPBW event calendar: probonoweek.org.uk/events

#WeDoProBono
October 27, 2025 at 11:06 AM
pilsni.bsky.social
🍂Our first Autumn Social brought together communities, human rights activists and legal professionals to celebrate the power of public interest litigation.🍂

A huge thanks to @john-wadham.bsky.social, Belfast Exposed, Yallaa, musicians Maureen Walker & Brendan Kerr and photographer Alisa Lymanska.
October 27, 2025 at 8:45 AM
pilsni.bsky.social
📰Community News/Nuacht ó Chomhphobal📰

Our NGO members @cnagaeilge.bsky.social will return to court in 2026, challenging Stormont's failure to deliver an Irish Language Strategy.

Reaction from Dr Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh ⬇️ #PublicInterestLitigation #JudicialReview

www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/co...
Court allows legal challenge over Stormont’s failure to deliver Irish language strategy
Conradh na Gaeilge asked for judicial review over lack of progress on initiative agreed in 2006
www.irishtimes.com
October 24, 2025 at 9:26 AM
pilsni.bsky.social
If you'd like to break out of a 'linear thought cage' at the start of the week, then the latest episode of the Save Our Sperrins podcast is what you need.

🎙️James Orr @friendsofearthni.bsky.social shares his own inimitable blend of wisdom, rebellion and solidarity: buttonsoptions4u.podbean.com
October 20, 2025 at 4:17 PM
pilsni.bsky.social
Doors open for our Autumn Social at 17.30 tonight!

💫 Guest speaker: John Wadham
💫 Venue: Belfast Exposed
💫 Live music from Maureen Walker and Brendan Kerr
💫 Food by Yallaa
💫 In a room full of creative, courageous activists and lawyers

Last chance to RSVP: forms.office.com/pages/respon...
Microsoft Forms
forms.office.com
October 16, 2025 at 11:54 AM
pilsni.bsky.social
Our Autumn Social is this Thursday!

Enjoy an evening of community, conversation & celebration with fellow @pilsni.bsky.social members & supporters. 🍂

Reserve your spot before registration closes:
🔗 pilsni.org/events/pils-autumn-social-2025/

#HumanRights #PublicInterestLitigation #HRA #HRA25
PILS Autumn Social 2025 - The PILS Project
pilsni.org
October 13, 2025 at 11:11 AM
pilsni.bsky.social
🆕 Community power in action!🆕

All seven of the mineral prospecting licences granted by the Department for Economy earlier this year have now been *relinquished*.

@pilsni.bsky.social are proud to support #SaveOurSperrins, backed by pro bono barrister Leona Askin.

#WeDoProBono
October 3, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Reposted by Public Interest Litigation Support (PILS)
nihrc.bsky.social
1/3
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the Human Rights Act, which became UK law on 2nd October 2000.

The Human Rights Act (HRA) incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights (whose 75th anniversary is also this year) into UK law, giving people…
October 2, 2025 at 2:50 PM
pilsni.bsky.social
FYI: today = UK #HRA Human Rights Act's 25th birthday.

In this milestone month, PILS invite you to a celebration of #HumanRights & the people who defend them.

Autumn Social - 16 Oct - 17.30 @ Belfast Exposed
✨ Special guest: @JohnWadham
✨ Live music, exhibitions & good food
October 2, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Reposted by Public Interest Litigation Support (PILS)
cajni.bsky.social
A new report by @colinmurray.bsky.social and @aoifemod.bsky.social explains claims the UK could leave the ECHR without breaching the Good Friday Agreement are “not credible.”

caj.org.uk/wp-content/u...
The front cover of CAJ's newest publication titled "The Belfast/ Good Friday Agreement 1998 and the European Convention on Human Rights: Explainer". The cover includes this title as well as a partially covered image of 'The Treaty Series' agreement for the Belfast Agreement.
September 16, 2025 at 11:24 AM
pilsni.bsky.social
Next Tuesday, the Know Your Rights to Protest Guide will be launched in Derry.

Join us, @bloodysundaytrust.bsky.social @cajni.bsky.social @a4cderry.bsky.social @ejni.bsky.social @friendsofearthni.bsky.social

➡️If you're a NW-based organiser, sign up today: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/know-your-...
September 16, 2025 at 9:47 AM
pilsni.bsky.social
When the expertise of human rights activists combines w/ legal knowledge to make life better in Northern Ireland, the feeling is electric!

⚡️Join us to celebrate these #PublicInterest defenders.⚡️

Thurs 16 Oct - 17.30 - @BelfastExposed

RSVP: pilsni.org/events/pils-autumn-social-2025/
September 12, 2025 at 11:13 AM
pilsni.bsky.social
Our right to protest must be protected!

Join us for the Derry launch of 'Know Your Rights to Protest'. It's the first NI-specific guide on the topic, written for local organisers.

🗓️23 Sept @ 17.30 @museumfreederry.bsky.social

@cajni.bsky.social
@friendsofearthni.bsky.social
@ejni.bsky.social
The protest guide is held up by a guest at the Belfast launch, with other guests chatting in the background.
September 9, 2025 at 10:53 AM
pilsni.bsky.social
Join changemakers, activists, and lawyers at PILS' Autumn Social 2025!

🗓️Thurs 16 Oct 2025 @ 17.30
📍Belfast Exposed
🗣️Special guest speaker: @john-wadham.bsky.social

Registration is open NOW. pilsni.org/events/pils-autumn-social-2025/

#PublicInterestLitigation #HumanRights #PILSAutumnSocial
September 4, 2025 at 10:04 AM
pilsni.bsky.social
📣Public Interest Update 📣

@iefni.bsky.social's efforts have paid off!

As IEF's statement notes, they believe the legal process secured significant improvements to the original #IntegratedEducation strategy.
iefni.bsky.social Integrated Education Fund @iefni.bsky.social · Sep 2
High Court Rules Department of Education in breach of the Integrated Education Act (2022)
The initial Department of Education strategy for Integrated Education has been declared unlawful in the High Court.
Read more here:
www.ief.org.uk/2025/09/02/d...
September 2, 2025 at 3:54 PM
pilsni.bsky.social
ICYMI: @cajni.bsky.social, HRC and @ppr-org.bsky.social on the #ECHR & #GFA ⬇️

"This commitment does not allow the UK Government to formulate some version of what it regards as ECHR-equivalent protections. It self-evidently requires that rights protections of the ECHR itself operate in NI...".
cajni.bsky.social CAJ @cajni.bsky.social · Sep 1
The ECHR is deeply embedded within the 1998 Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. This commitment does not allow the UK Government to formulate some version of what it regards as ECHR-equivalent protections.

Read our joint statement 👇
@ppr-org.bsky.social & Human Rights Consortium NI
September 2, 2025 at 1:16 PM
pilsni.bsky.social
When our members had Q's about navigating the #FreedomOfInformation process, PILS partnered w/ @infocommission.bsky.social to run a FREE training session.

PILS design training for our members, *with* our members!

Tell us your training needs today: forms.office.com/e/TDWJQyn1Zd
Kate Barry (PILS) is standing in the middle of a large room, surrounded by PILS members sitting at round tables, taking notes. PILS' training needs survey 2025
September 1, 2025 at 9:37 AM
pilsni.bsky.social
📣Tell us what your organisation needs 📣

Our short survey (under 5 minutes!) asks PILS members about your #training priorities. Whether you’re a long-time PILS member or new to our network, we’d love to hear from you.

Take the survey: forms.office.com/e/TDWJQyn1Zd
August 28, 2025 at 11:20 AM
pilsni.bsky.social
"Campaigners from #SaveOurSperrins lodged an application for leave to apply for a #JudicialReview of the decision to grant the 7 licences ahead of Friday's deadline."

📰Louise Cullen's article outlines why SOS felt they were left w/ no choice but to issue proceedings:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
August 12, 2025 at 10:34 AM
pilsni.bsky.social
📣 Challenge launched 📣

Save Our Sperrins have applied to judicially review the Dept. for the Economy’s decision to grant several mineral prospecting licences.

✅️Papers signed
✅️Court fee paid
✅️ PILS acting as SOS' solicitor

Now, we wait for the Department’s response...

#PublicInterestLitigation
Save our Sperrins Jackie, Fidelma and Cormac with PILS' Kate Barry outside the Royal Courts of Justice.
August 8, 2025 at 9:59 PM
pilsni.bsky.social
UPDATE: "...the 4 voluntary environmental protectors feel they have no choice but to get on with it & lodge the judicial review on Friday 8th August."

Our members #SaveOurSperrins on their efforts to get answers from @economy-ni.gov.uk

Read the statement in full: www.facebook.com/SaveOurSperr...
Save Our Sperrins
Statement of Save Our Sperrins (SOS) on Legal action against DfE regarding the granting of 7 Mineral Prospecting Licences Following the lodging of Pre-Application Protocol correspondence by four...
www.facebook.com
August 7, 2025 at 8:50 AM
pilsni.bsky.social
"The era of impunity is ending!"

- @projdandelion.bsky.social co-founder Mary Robinson reacting to #ClimateICJAO.

⬇️A Verdict for the Planet, @ciel.org's rapid response webinar, is being streamed LIVE right now ⬇️

#ClimateJusticeAtTheICJ @wy4cj.bsky.social
July 24, 2025 at 4:02 PM