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Conferences and Events, School of Law, Trinity College Dublin

Changing Ireland, Changing Law: Irish Research Council awarded to TCD Law School, DIT School of Languages, Law and Social Sciences and Public Interest Law Alliance

 

In March 2015, Prof Ivana Bacik and Dr. Mary Rogan were awarded an 'Engaging Civic Society' award by the Irish Research Council under the 'New Foundations' grant scheme for participating in research led by Dr Rogan, then of Dublin Institute of Technology, along with the Public Interest Law Alliance, for the project 'Changing Ireland, Changing Law'. This project will involve a series of public events and will produce an edited collection through collaboration between DIT, TCD, civil society groups, Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN), the Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI), the National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI). The lead civil society partner is the Public Interest Law Alliance (PILA). Additional funding for this project has also been obtained by Prof Bacik from the Trinity College Equality Fund, and the Arts and Social Sciences Benefaction Fund within College.

The research project entailed:

  • Hosting four seminars in Trinity College Dublin and the Dublin Institute of Technology on: the position of women in Irish law and society; strategic litigation as a tool of social change: lessons from practice; sexual identity, law and social change in Ireland; immigration, asylum and legal change in Ireland. PILA is a public interest law network that seeks to engage the legal community and civil society in using the law to advance social change.
  • Each seminar will involve speakers from civil society organisations, academics, lawyers and individuals affected by the issues and who have been involved in law reform and advocacy, and politicians, discussing their reflections on the use of law as a tool of social change, and on how legal change has or has not kept apace with societal developments.
  • A seminar with legislators in the Oireachtas on barriers to accessing justice and promoting law reform in Ireland.
  • The creation of an edited collection (edited by Dr Rogan and Prof Bacik) of papers on these themes. A special focus in the collection will be on individuals involved in taking cases which prompted major political and social change. The collection will also include contributions from civil society groups engaged in reform processes.

 

 

LGBT Rights and the law: Seminar on Legal Rights and Legal Change


Date: Friday, 10th July 2015, 11 am - 1 pm.

Venue: Room 3126, The Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin

Speakers: Senator David Norris;
Senator Katherine Zappone & Ann Louise Gilligan;
Brian Sheehan (GLEN); Professor Mark Bell (TCD)

This seminar will focus on legal cases which have brought about social change for LGBT persons in Ireland. Speakers will explore both the experience of taking such cases, and the impact that these cases have had.

This is the second in a series of seminars being organised by Prof. Ivana Bacik (Law School, TCD) and Dr. Mary Rogan (DIT Law) in partnership with the Public Interest Law Alliance (PILA), the National Women's Council (NWCI), the Gay & Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) and the Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI).

This seminar series aims to explore the relationship between legal action and social change, and to promote debate on how public interest litigation has influenced or contributed to social change in Ireland, on a range of issues. The seminar series forms part of a joint DIT/TCD legal research project entitled 'Changing Ireland, Changing Law' (CICL) funded by the Irish Research Council, along with additional contribution from the Trinity College Dublin Equality Fund and Arts & Social Sciences Benefactions Fund.

 

Immigration, Asylum and Legal Change in Ireland

Date: Friday 18th September 2015, 11 am - 1 pm
Venue: Dublin Institute of Technology, Aungier Street campus, Management House (first floor, beside the library)

Speakers will include: Professor Cathryn Costello, University of Oxford;
Patricia Brazil BL, TCD;
Catherine Cosgrave, Immigrant Council of Ireland;
Gandhi Mallak, Mallak v Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform [2012] IESC 59

This is the second in a series of seminars being organised by Prof. Ivana Bacik (Law School, TCD) and Dr. Mary Rogan (DIT Law) in partnership with the Public Interest Law Alliance (PILA), the National Women’s Council (NWCI), the Gay & Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) and the Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI).

This seminar series aims to explore the relationship between legal action and social change, and to promote debate on how public interest litigation has influenced or contributed to social change in Ireland, on a range of issues. The seminar series forms part of a joint DIT/TCD legal research project entitled ‘Changing Ireland, Changing Law’ (CICL) funded by the Irish Research Council, along with additional contribution from the Trinity College Dublin Equality Fund and Arts & Social Sciences Benefactions Fund.

 

Public Interest Litigation - Does it Work?

Date: Friday 16th October 2015 2 - 4
Venue:
Dublin Institute of Technology

Speakers will include: Dr. Lydia Foy, Foy v. Ireland;
Kevin Brophy, Brophy Solicitors;
Maeve O’Rourke BL;
Professor Gerry Whyte, Trinity College Dublin;
Rachel Power, FLAC Public Interest Law Alliance

This seminar will examine the effect which public interest litigation generally has had upon social change in Ireland. Speakers will explore the experience of taking public interest cases, the impact particular cases have had, barriers to taking such cases and what is possible when litigation is not.

This is the fourth in a series of seminars being organised by Dr. Mary Rogan (DIT Law)  and Prof. Ivana Bacik (Law School, TCD), in partnership with the Public Interest Law Alliance (PILA), the National Women's Council (NWCI), the Gay & Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) and the Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI).

This seminar series aims to explore the relationship between legal action and social change, and to promote debate on how public interest litigation has influenced or contributed to social change in Ireland, on a range of issues. The seminar series forms part of a joint DIT/TCD legal research project entitled 'Changing Ireland, Changing Law' (CICL) funded by the Irish Research Council, along with additional contribution from the Trinity College Dublin Equality Fund and Arts & Social Sciences Benefactions Fund.

 

Changing Ireland, Changing Law

Date: Wednesday 25th November 2015 3 pm - 4 pm
Venue: AV Room, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2

Speakers:
Ivana Bacik;
Mary Rogan;
Rachel Power, FLAC Public Interest Law Alliance

This final seminar will examine the effect which public interest litigation generally has had upon social change in Ireland, and to bring to the attention of Oireachtas members any changes that need to be made to ensure such litigation may be as effective as possible.

This is the fifth and final in a series of seminars being organised by Dr. Mary Rogan (DIT Law) and Prof. Ivana Bacik (Law School, TCD), in partnership with the Public Interest Law Alliance (PILA), the National Women's Council (NWCI), the Gay & Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) and the Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI).

This seminar series aims to explore the relationship between legal action and social change, and to promote debate on how public interest litigation has influenced or contributed to social change in Ireland, on a range of issues.

The seminar series forms part of a joint DIT/TCD legal research project entitled 'Changing Ireland, Changing Law' (CICL) funded by the Irish Research Council, along with additional contribution from the Trinity College Dublin Equality Fund and Arts & Social Sciences Benefactions Fund.

The Oireachtas Justice Committee will be conducting a brief meeting about the Changing Ireland, Changing Law project, to start at 4pm promptly on the same day.