Biography

Jennifer Kavanagh is a Ph.D. Candidate in the School of Law. Her research is on the use of restrictions on freedom of expression in the political process both in Ireland and abroad. The focus is on the effect of such restrictions on citizens the media, the nature of representative democracy and its consequent effect on democratic legitimacy.

Jennifer has also been employed in the Department of Applied Arts in Waterford Institute of Technology as a Law Lecturer since 2007. She has taught on a wide variety of modules from Business Law, Intellectual Property Law, Media Law and Constitutional Law from Certificate Programmes to Masters Programmes.

She is a member of Irish Political Studies Association, the Irish Association of Law Teachers and the Society of Legal Scholars. She is a regular contributor to the PSAI website politicalreform.ie and has appeared regularly on Tonight with Vincent Browne programme on TV3 as a legal and political commentator.

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Professional Qualifications

B.A. (Hons.) 2005 , LL.M. (Dub.) 2007

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Awards

• Nolan Farrell and Goff Property Law Bursary 2004

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Research Interests

• Media Law
• Constitutional Law
• Legislative Studies
• Politics and the Law.

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Education Details

• Ph.D. Candidate, Trinity College Dublin (2009- Present)
• LL.M., Trinity College Dublin (2007)
• B.A. (Hons.) in Business and Legal Studies, Waterford IT (2005)
• National Diploma in Legal Studies, Waterford IT (2004)
• National Certificate in Legal Studies, Waterford IT (2003)

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Employment Details

• Lecturer in Law, Waterford Institute of Technology 2007 – present
• Previous Employment: Bank of Ireland Mortgages, PriceWaterhouse Coopers, Ulster Bank, Waterford City Council.

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Memberships /Associations /Publications

• Irish Association of Law Teachers
• Society of Legal Scholars
• The Political Studies Association of Ireland.

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Publications

• Kavanagh, J. (2012) 'Executive secrecy, access to policy: lessons from the past', School of History and Archives UCD, HistoryHub.ie (Forthcoming in December)
• Kavanagh J. (2012) Defamation and its Role within a Democracy: Bringing the Public Figure Doctrine to Ireland, Political Studies Association of Ireland Conference, Derry, October 19-21
• Kavanagh J. (2012), Defamation in the Dáil: The Right of Reply for Citizens and the Use of Standing Order 59, PSAI Postgraduate Conference, Maynooth, June 23
• Kavanagh, J. (2011) ‘Freedom of Expression and Contemporary Governance: The Freedom to Criticize Government Policy’, Irish Association of Law Teachers Conference, November 18-20
• Kavanagh, J. (2011) ‘Right of Reply – Should Citizens have a Right of Reply for Defamatory Statements made in Parliament’, 5th Annual International Graduate Legal Research Conference, Kings College, April London 7–8
• Kavanagh, J. (2010) ‘The Legacy of Broadcasting Restrictions on the Legal Regulation of Political Speech in Ireland’ Irish Association of Law Teachers Conference, Limerick 26 – 27 November.
• Kavanagh, J. (2009) ‘How the law on blasphemy can be used as a barometer of cultural change’ Cultural Exchange Conference, Trinity College Dublin and Royal Irish Academy, 13–14 November.

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