Modules

Module Code

LAU12501

Module Name

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW I

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

MT

Cohorts Available to

Single Honors Law – JF
Joint Honors Law – SF (Major, Minor and Joint Honors)

Open Module for Non-Law Students – SF year.  Students advised to consult https://www.tcd.ie/tjh/open-modules/ for more details.

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 or 4 hours of lectures per week and 4 hours of seminars in the 1st Semester. 

Module Coordinator/Owner

Prof Oran Doyle

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Map the basic structure of government in Ireland; 
• Identify, evaluate and critique the role of constitutional law in ensuring respect for human rights and democratic governance; 
• Apply constitutional law concepts and doctrines for the purpose of solving concrete practical problems; 
• Identify the role which judicial interpretation plays in the development of constitutional law; 
• Critically analyse the case law interpreting Articles 38, 40 and 43 of the Constitution, articulating a coherent position on the ways in which constitutional law should develop in the future; 
• Critically analyse the separation of powers under the Irish Constitution; 
• Apply critical analysis and problem-solving skills and techniques to different essay and problem-based questions on the implications of the above constitutional provisions; 

• Write convincingly on basic issues in the development of Irish constitutional law, grounding analysis in the constitutional text and decided case. 

Module Content

Constitutional law I introduces students to the study of constitutional law and theory, addressing a number of key doctrines and significant points of debate. The first part of the module addresses a number of constitutional rights, including rights relating to the criminal trial, property and unenumerated rights. The second part of the module addresses the separation of powers under the Irish Constitution, focusing on the limits of and interaction between the legislative, judicial and executive powers of government. The third part of the module addresses the overarching issues of constitutional litigation and constitutional interpretation. 

Assessment

Written Assignment - 20%, Discussion Board - 5%
Examination - 75% (1 x 2 hour paper)

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU11531

Module Name

TORTS

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

MT

Cohorts Available to

Single Honors Law – JF
Joint Honors Law – JF

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week and 4 hours of seminars in the 1st Semester. 
In-person attendance is compulsory in this module.

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Desmond Ryan

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Identify and analyse the key principles underlying the law of tort;
• Use appropriate legal concepts, relevant judicial precedents and statutory law to solve concrete practical problems;
• Explain how tort law seeks to give effect to social policies as well as address issues of personal responsibility;
• Differentiate between liability for intentional wrongs, negligence and strict liability;
• Discuss the principles of compensation and their practical application in specific contexts.

Module Content

This is a standard course designed to provide Fresh students with an introduction to the law of torts. Topics covered include the major torts such as negligence, defamation and nuisance, but also issues such as defences, limitation periods and the interaction between the law of torts and the Constitution.

Assessment

Examination (1 x 2 hour paper) – 75%, Essay – (3,000 words) – 25%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU11542

Module Name

CONTRACT LAW

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

HT

Cohorts Available to

Single Honors Law – JF
Joint Honors Law – JF

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week and 4 seminars in the 2nd Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Prof Blanaid Clarke & Dr Eoin O’Dell

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Engage in sophisticated, creative and critical discussion of common law concepts, both orally and in writing,
• Analyse and apply the substantive principles of the law of contract,
• Appreciate and explain the role of the law of contract in society,
• Identify contractual issues in disputes, and advise accordingly, and
• interpret and draft key contractual provisions

Module Content

Contract is one of the core subjects of the common law of obligations. It involves analysis of the legal principles behind the rules relating to the formulation of contracts and the circumstances in which they will not come into existence or in which they cease to be effective.

Assessment

Examination (1 x 2 hour paper) - 80%, Essay - (2,000 words) - 20%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU12552

Module Name

CRIMINAL LAW

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

HT

Cohorts Available to

Single Honors Law – JF
Joint Honors Law – SF (Major, Minor and Joint Honors)

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week and 4 seminars in the 2nd Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Liz Heffernan

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Identify and critically analyse the basic principles of criminal liability and substantive criminal law;
• Appraise and evaluate doctrines governing criminal defences;
• Appraise and evaluate specific principles relating to particular categories of offences;
• Appraise and evaluate rules and principles regulating different modes of criminal liability such as inchoate liability and secondary liability;
• Apply critical analysis and problem-solving skills and techniques to different essay and problem-based criminal law questions

Module Content

The focus of this module is on substantive criminal law: defining crimes, basic concepts in criminal law, the general principles of criminal liability, different defences and types of criminal offence. By the end of the module students should be familiar with the basic principles underlying the Irish system of criminal law and with the basic aspects of the criminal court process. Students are encouraged to think critically and analytically about the rules, judgments and legislation that are studied over the course of the module.

Assessment

Examination – 100% (1 x 2.5 hour paper)

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU11511

Module Name

FOUNDATIONS OF LAW I

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

MT

Cohorts Available to

Single Honors Law – JF
Joint Honors Law – JF

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

2 hours of lectures and 1 hour of seminars per week (except in week 1) in the first six weeks of the 1st Semester. 

Module Coordinator/Owner

TBC

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Identify and critically analyse the various sources of law in the Irish system and the relationship between them, and in particular the role of the superior courts in the creation of binding precedent
• Engage in effective legal research both in the Library and online;
• Demonstrate the effective use of practical techniques for solving legal problems;
• Apply basic legal writing skills when completing assignments;
• Critically evaluate access to justice within the Irish legal system.

Module Content

This module introduces junior Fresh students to the key features of the Irish legal system and to aspects of legal skills. The module considers various aspects of the legal system including the sources of law, the Irish court system and the principles of stare decisis (rules of precedent) within the common law. It also seeks to locate the Irish legal system more broadly within the system of legal families.  Finally, it seeks to consider some of the overarching values of the Irish legal system, with specific reference to the role of international human rights in this regard.  Overall, it aims to attune students to the political, social and economic context of the Irish legal system, and to that end, particular emphasis is placed on current developments that may affect its operation.
The module also seeks to equip students with the basic skills required for the study of law. It introduces students to legal research and reasoning and provides practical training in essay writing and legal problem solving.
The module provides students with an opportunity for structured reflection on learning. It aims to orient students to third level education by heightening awareness of approaches to learning and fostering effective strategies for the study of law.

Assessment

Essay 100%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU11561

Module Name

FOUNDATIONS OF LAW II

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

HT

Cohorts Available to

Single Honors Law – JF
Joint Honors Law – JF

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

2 hours of lectures and 1 hour of seminars per week (except in week 1) in the first six weeks of the 2nd Semester. 

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr David Fennelly

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Identify and critically analyse sources of law in the Irish, EU and international legal systems and the relationship between them;
• Apply appropriate techniques of statutory interpretation;
• Demonstrate an understanding of international and European law and their status in the Irish legal system;
• Apply basic principles and doctrines of European law in light of practical problems;
• Identify the principle judicial procedures in https://www.tcd.ie/tjh/open-modules/;
• Demonstrate the effective use of practical techniques for solving legal problems;
• Apply basic legal writing skills when completing assignments;
• Engage in effective legal research both in the Library and online.

Module Content

This module builds on Foundations of Law I and continues to introduce junior fresh students to the key features and sources of the Irish legal system and to essential legal skills. First, the module considers the principles governing statutory interpretation. Second, the module examines the sources of international law and its status in the Irish legal system, looking specifically at the European Convention on Human Rights. Thirdly, the module introduces students to the European Union legal system. Topics studied include: the sources of EU law; the institutions of the EU; the legislative and judicial processes in the EU; and fundamental principles of EU law, including direct effect and primacy.

Assessment

Assessed Coursework (2,000 word EU law problem question) – 100%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU10522

Module Name

JURISPRUDENCE

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

MT

Cohorts Available to

Single Honors Law – JF

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

2 hours of lectures per week and 4 hours of seminars in the 1st Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Prof Aileen Kavanagh

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Identify the nature, purpose and limits of law;
• Identify and analyse the key principles underlying democratic legal systems;
• Articulate the multiple relationships between law and morality;
• Analyse the tensions between democracy and rights;
• Identify and analyse applications of moral philosophy to aspects of both public and private law, and
• Engage in theoretical analysis and argumentation.

Module Content

The purpose of this module is to provide students with an overview of some key issues in contemporary jurisprudence and moral and political philosophy, encouraging them to engage critically and analytically with current debates. This module covers issues concerning the nature of law and adjudication, situated against the broader backdrop of the links between law and morality. The theme of linkages between law and morality is further explored through an analysis of the concept of the rule of law, the interaction between entrenched legal rights and democracy, and the basis for any obligation to obey the law. Not only will this course provide students with a solid foundation in jurisprudence, it is also designed to illuminate and deepen understanding of other aspects of law by introducing students to relevant philosophical concepts at the very outset of their law degree at Trinity College Dublin.

Assessment

Examination (1 x 2 hour paper) 100%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU11571

Module Name

LEGISLATION AND REGULATION

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

HT

Cohorts Available to

Single Honors Law – JF

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

2 hours of lectures per week and 1 hour of seminars per week in the second half of 2nd semester (after reading week). 

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Surya Roy

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Appreciate the interaction between self-regulation and statutory regulation
• Get a feel of how Rule of Law is different from specific laws
• Appreciate the legislative process and how government is held accountable
• Appreciate how the judiciary shapes law through interpretation, oversight and review; specifically:
• Appreciate pragmatic and political concerns that animate policy-making  

Module Content

This module complements Foundations of Law II and Jurisprudence, focuses on the Rule of Law, judicial scrutiny of statutory regulation, and concerns that animate policy-making. Students will be guided to reason their way into what statutory regulation is, the need for it, and its limits. With respect to judicial interpretation, oversight and review, the module focuses on:

• Constitutionality of Statutory Regulation and Delegated Legislation
• Grounds and standards of reviewing regulation
• Internal and External Aids to Statutory Interpretation
• Approaches to Statutory Interpretation

The module also discusses pragmatic concerns in policy-making, concentrating on cost-benefit analysis, and political concerns, focusing on public choice theory and critical legal studies.

Assessment

Take-home Assignment/Drafting/Review – 70%
Mock Parliament/Continuous Assessment – 30%

Reassessment Details:

Take-home Assignment/Drafting/Review – 70%
Drafting Assignment– 30%

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU22522

Module Name

EQUITY

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

HT

Cohort Available to:

Single Honors Law (SF)
Law Major (SF)

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week and four hours of seminars in the 2nd Semester. 

Module Coordinator/Owner

Prof Hilary Biehler

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Evaluate the relationship between law and equity;
• Identify the contribution made by equity and the law of trusts to legal relationships and commercial situations;
• Discuss and debate different perspectives on various aspects of the law relating to trusts of a private and public nature;
• Use appropriate legal concepts, case law and statute law to analyse and solve legal problems relating to the use of equitable remedies

Module Learning Aims

The aim of this module is to familiarise students with the principles which govern the exercise of equitable jurisdiction and to explore the nature of trusts of a private and public nature and how these trusts are administered. The module also examines the discretionary nature of equitable remedies by focusing on injunctions and aims to equip students with the skills to understand and advise on the circumstances in which remedies of this nature may be granted.

Module Content

Equity may be described as that body of rules and principles which was developed by the Court of Chancery in order to mitigate the rigours of the common law. This course examines general principles, the law relating to private and public or charitable trusts and the administration of trusts, focusing on the powers and duties of trustees. It also covers some aspects of equitable remedies such as injunctions and examines the principles relating to proprietary estoppel.

Recommended Reading List

Recommended Books
 Biehler, Equity and the Law of Trusts in Ireland (7th ed., 2020)
 Virgo, The Principles of Equity and Trusts (5th ed., 2023)
 Keane, Equity and the Law of Trusts in Ireland (3rd ed., 2017)
 Glister and Lee, Hanbury and Martin: Modern Equity (23rd ed., 2024)

Assessment

Examination (2 hour paper) – 100%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU22502/ LAU34032

Module Name

EU LAW

Cohorts available

SF Single Honours Law (if entered Single Honours in JF year) Compulsory
See JS entry in Sophister modules below for information on Joint Honours version

Open Module for Non-Law Students – SF year.  Students advised to consult https://www.tcd.ie/tjh/open-modules/ for more details.

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

HT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 2nd semester
4 x 1 hours of seminars in the 2nd semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

 Prof. Mark Bell & Dr Roisin Costello & Dr Sarah Arduin & Prof. Caoimhín MacMaoláin

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module, students should be able to: 

• Identify and explain key concepts in European Union Law;
• Critically evaluate the role of the EU Courts in the evolution of European Union law;
• Critically evaluate the relationship between European Union Law and the national law of the EU Member States;
• Discuss and appraise key aspects of European Union substantive law. 

Module Learning Aims

To develop a comprehensive knowledge about, and understanding of, the role of European Union law in the legal systems of the EU Member States.

Module Content

 The aim of this module is to provide an introduction to European Union law, in particular to examine its evolution and relationship to national law. The first part of the module concentrates on constitutional issues, including the role of the Court of Justice of the EU. The second part of the course examines selected aspects of substantive law, including free movement of goods and persons.

Recommended Reading List

Paul Craig and Gráinne de Búrca, EU Law: Texts, Cases and Materials (8th edn, OUP 2024).

Assessment

Examination (2 hour paper) – 100%

Reassessment

Examination (2 hour paper) – 100%

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules https://tcd.blackboard.com/https://tcd.blackboard.com/

Module Code

LAU22511

Module Name

LAND LAW

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

MT

Cohort Available to:

Single Honors Law (SF)
Law Major (SF)

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week and 4 seminars in the 1st semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Prof Rachael Walsh

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Critically reflect on the tensions that underpin and affect land law from theoretical and policy perspectives;
• Engage with the interaction between public and private law rules and standards in the context of land;
• Identify and analyse the evolution of land law and the complexities of the system in Ireland;
• Outline the body of common law, equitable principles and legislation governing the ways in which land may be acquired, held and alienated;
• Analyse and apply substantive areas in land law.

Module Learning Aims

The module aims to give students an excellent understanding of the core principles of Irish land law and the ability to apply that understanding to solve complex property law problems. It also aims to facilitate students in developing their own critical perspectives on private ownership and the manner in which it is reflected in, and implemented through, legal rules.

Module Content

This module introduces the student to the considerable body of common law, equitable principles and legislation which governs the various ways in which land may be acquired, held and alienated. It commences with an analysis of the public law protections for rights in land in the Irish legal system, through the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. It engages in critical reflection on the theoretical rationales for private ownership that underpin and affect land law, and on other perspectives from economics and politics that influence the shape of land law. It considers the evolution of land law through both common law and statute, an understanding of which is fundamental to an appreciation of the complex system in operation in Ireland today. A key focus throughout is the changes wrought to Irish land law by the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009. The substantive areas dealt with include the nature of the freehold and leasehold estates in land, co-ownership, the use of land as security, and rights over land (easements and covenants).

Recommended Reading List

Full reading list is circulated in September, covering all topics including seminars.

Assessment

Examination (2 hour paper, including a compulsory question) – 100%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU22101

Module Name

PRIVATE LAW REMEDIES

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

MT

Cohort Available to:

Single Honors Law (SF)

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

12 hours of lectures and 2 hours of seminars in the first half of the 1st Semester.

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Alan Eustace

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

•     Evaluate remedial strategies from a range of theoretical and comparative perspectives,
•     Analyse private law claims at law and in equity to determine the appropriate remedy or remedies, and
•     Display command of the interplay between rights and remedies, and their location within the wider body of the private law of obligations.

Module Content

The capstone of private law analysis is a conceptual understanding of the remedies available to a plaintiff in civil proceedings at Common Law and in Equity to vindicate those obligations. This course analyses the remedial goals (such as compensation for loss, punishment for wrongdoing, or restitution of unjust enrichment) underpinning various personal and proprietary remedies available for private law claims arising from tort, breach of contract, unjust enrichment, equitable wrongs, and so on. The substantive issues (such as causation, remotes, damages, proprietary remedies, and so on) will be considered in their own terms, and compared and contrasted across various subject-areas (such as Contract, Tort, Unjust Enrichment, Equity, and so on).

Studying this course relies on prior substantive knowledge of private law obligations acquired in the Tort (JF) and Contract (JF) modules, and it is very strongly recommended that students retain their textbooks, notes etc from those modules for this one. There are also strong links between PLR and Equity (SF, HT) but prior knowledge of the latter will not be assumed.

Assessment

Assignment: 100%

Reassessment

As Above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU22002

Module Name

MOOTING

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

MT

Cohort Available to:

Single Honors Law (SF)

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

Class contact: 20 hours in the 2nd semester
Independent study, class preparation: 50 hours
Independent study, mooting presentation and assessment preparation: 60 hours

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Alan Eustace

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Research legal materials effectively
• Critically evaluate the arguments made in legal cases
• Advocate effectively in support of a legal argument
• Present arguments coherently in both written and oral submissions
• Work effectively in group contexts in pursuit of common objectives

Module Content

This programme gives students the opportunity to develop the written and oral advocacy skills which are a central component of any lawyer’s training. The class group is divided into groups of four students and, within this group of four, are subdivided into groups of two, and informed which two will represent the plaintiff/appellant/applicant in the case and which will represent the defendant/respondent. The four person group choose which, of a range of hypothetical legal actions they will engage with. The groups then prepare the written and oral submissions in relation to their chosen legal action and, subsequently, present the oral submissions in the context of a court hearing.

Students receive instruction throughout the course in relation to mooting generally, and in relation to the preparation of legal arguments and advocacy skills. They work together, in groups, in the preparation and presentation of both forms of legal submission. The course is graded on a pass/fail basis, and, in assessing this, 60% of the evaluation is awarded for the memorial, written in the pair, (with each member of the pair receiving the same mark save in extraordinary circumstances) and 40% for the oral submissions (with each student receiving an individual mark for their presentation).

Assessment

Written Submission (Memorial) 60%, Oral Argument in Court 40%

Reassessment

Written Submission (Memorial) 100%

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU34001

Module Name

Administrative Law

Cohorts Available:

JS Single Honours*, Law Major – Compulsory*
Joint Honours, Law Minor – Optional

*available in SS year if abroad for Single Honours and Law Major, Option B

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

MT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week and
4 hours of seminars in the 1st semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Catherine Donnelly & Prof Hilary Biehler

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module, students should be able to:

• Describe and assess the rationale for judicial supervision of administrative action.
• Discuss the substantive case law in a manner that incorporates the principles and theory of administrative law.
• Classify and compare the grounds for judicial review.
• Synthesise and evaluate case law on each of the main grounds of review.
• Apply the relevant principles and predict legal outcomes in factual situations

Module Learning Aims

Administrative law in Ireland is primarily judge-made. It is a public law subject and is often concerned with issues that are politically contentious and raise separation of powers concerns. Students will need to develop the ability to navigate the complex tapestry of public law principles that have developed in Irish administrative law jurisprudence. 

Module Content

This module examines public administration and the role of judicial review of administrative action. The module addresses the position of the administration in separation of powers. The bulk of the module is concerned with the control of administrative action through judicial review. It will consider in depth the reach of judicial review and in particular, the main grounds of judicial review. The module will also address judicial review procedures and remedies. Throughout this module, comparisons will be made between the English and Irish case law.

Recommended Reading List

Recommended Texts

Hogan & Morgan, Administrative Law in Ireland (5th ed., 2019)

Hare, Donnelly, Bell and Carnwath, De Smith’s Judicial Review (9th ed., 2023)
Biehler, Judicial Review of Administrative Action (3rd ed., 2013)

Donnelly and Hare, Principles of Judicial Review (2nd ed., 2020)
Other General Reading
Craig, Administrative Law (9th ed., 2021)
Endicott, Administrative Law (5th ed., 2021)

Assessment Details

Examination (1 x 2 hour paper) - 100%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules
https://tcd.blackboard.com/

Module Code

LAU44122

 
Module Name

Artificial Intelligence Law

 
Cohort Available

SS Single Honours, Law Major, Joint Honours, Law Minor

 
ECTS weighting

5

 
Semester/term taught

HT

 
Contact Hours and
Indicative Student
Workload

 2 hours per week in the 2nd semester

 
Module
Coordinator/Owner

Dr Brian Barry

 
Module Learning Outcomes with embedded Graduate Attributes

Upon successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
LO1 Understand key issues and developments in artificial intelligence law, particularly those emerging from the European Union, but also those emerging from jurisdictions further afield.

LO2: Critically reflect on the rationale for laws that directly or indirectly regulate the development or deployment of artificial intelligence systems.

LO3: Explain and critique the provisions of various legal instruments that currently (or propose to) regulate artificial intelligence systems including, but not limited to, the EU Artificial Intelligence Act.  
LO4: Recognise, identify and apply legal rules and principles that are appropriate and relevant to address legal issues and problems that involve artificial intelligence systems.
LO5: Identify and locate relevant sources and materials to keep abreast of developments in the law on artificial intelligence.

Assessment

EU AI Act mini-lecture (short pre-recorded video lecture or similar) – 30%
Essay (2,500 words) – 70%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://tcd.blackboard.com/

Module Code

LAU44012

Module Name

CLINICAL LEGAL EDUCATION

Cohorts Available:

SS Single Honours, Law Major only

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

MT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

Placements will run for four weeks.
There will be an introductory session prior to the commencement of placements as well as classes in Michaelmas term.

Module Coordinator/Owner

TBC

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Understand the range of persons and organisations engaged in legal practice and their role in the legal system and in society;
• Apply core legal skills in a practical context;
• Apply legal knowledge in a practical context;
• Develop their knowledge and skills through practical experience;
• Reflect upon practical experience in order to broaden and deepen their understanding of the law;
• Understand fundamental principles of legal ethics;
• Recognise and respond to ethical issues arising in legal practice;
• Work effectively in a professional setting and develop skills useful in a wide range of professional settings.

Module Learning Aims

This module offers students an introduction to legal practice, allowing students the opportunity to develop core professional skills essential for a lawyer as well as to gain valuable practical experience in a legal environment. Students will undertake placements in a variety of organisations in the not-for-profit, private and public sectors.

Module Content

Under the supervision of experienced professionals, students will gain first-hand experience of legal practice, observing, assisting and participating in the organisations’ work. This gives students an opportunity to apply and develop their legal skills and knowledge in a practical way and to learn from this experience. Students will also attend a lawyering class which will focus on developing students’ professional legal skills, fostering an understanding of legal ethics and more broadly developing students’ understanding of the role of the lawyer in society. Students will give presentations on their experiences and engage in a process of reflection on these experiences, individually and as a group.

Recommended Reading List

Module Pre-requisite

Students must have completed the summer placement in order to select this module in Online Module Enrolment

Module Co Requisite

Assessment

Learning Journals
Reflection Paper
Pass/Fail Module

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU33041

Module Name

Commercial Law

Cohorts Available:

JS / SS Single Honours, Law Major B
JS Law Major A, Joint Honours, Law Minor

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

MT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 1st Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Prof Deirdre Ahern

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this module, students should be able to:

• Identify the relationship between law and the commercial world;
• Use appropriate legal concepts, case law and statute law to analyse and solve legal problems within the world of commerce;
• Evaluate the contribution made by default rules provided by the law as opposed to choices made by parties using freedom of contract;
• Map the relationship between law and society in a commercial context, including the role of law in promoting and responding to social change.

Module Learning Aims

The objective of this module is to provide students with a good knowledge of key areas of commercial law.

Module Content

Commercial Law is taught with a practical emphasis on what occurs in business life and will be of benefit to students who intend to go into professional practice in this area. The module begins with the history and nature of commercial law and moves on to consider legal regulation of a range of areas which are significant in the business world. These include the law of agency, insurance law and the banker-customer relationship. A particular emphasis is on the regulation of the sale of goods and supply of services.

Assessment

Essay (3,000 words) 100%

Reassessment

 Essay (3,000 words) 100%

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules
https://tcd.blackboard.com/

Module Code

LAU34022

Module Name

Company Law

Cohorts Available

JS/SS Single Honours, Law Major B
JS Law Major A, Joint Honours, Law Minor

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

HT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 2nd semester
2 hours of seminars

Module Coordinator/Owner

Prof Blanaid Clarke & Prof Deirdre Ahern

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this module, students should be able to:

• Identify and evaluate the interplay between the legal entity that is the company and the shareholders and directors, as the other organs of the company, in a wide range of situations;
• Apply relevant statutory rules and case law to companies in order to analyse and solve legal issues relating to companies;
• Discuss and debate different perspectives on various aspects of the law relating to companies including the change in legal approach which occurs when a company runs into financial difficulties.

Module Content

This module deals with the law relating to companies. The subjects covered include the incorporation of companies and the legal consequences of incorporation, the constitutional documents of a company, the law relating to corporate capacity, directors' duties and their enforcement; shareholder and creditor protection.  

Assessment

Essay (3,000 words) - 25%, Examination (1 x 2 hour paper) - 75% 

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules
https://tcd.blackboard.com/

Module Code

LAU44112

Module Name

Conflicts of Law

Cohorts Available

SS Law, Law Major

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

HT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 2nd Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

tbc

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Locate contentious issues within national and international legal contexts;
• Identify and evaluate the role of EU law in the development of rules and standards applied in the Irish courts;
• Identify and critically analyse rules governing jurisdiction, choice of law and the recognition and enforcement of judgments both orally and in writing;
• Compare and contrast the application of those rules in different substantive legal contexts;
• Discuss and debate different theoretical and practical perspectives on the conflict of laws and formulate proposals for reform;
• Apply Irish and European conflicts regimes in practical settings to resolve hypothetical fact scenarios;
• Conduct effective research of contentious issues at national and international levels.

Module Content

Conflict of Laws (also known as Private International Law) is the body of rules whose purpose is to assist the Irish court in deciding a case containing a foreign element. It consists of three main elements: (1) the jurisdiction of the Irish court (whether the Irish courts is competent to hear the dispute); (2) the selection of the appropriate rules of a system of law, Irish or foreign, which it is to apply in deciding a case before it (choice of law); and (3) the recognition and enforcement of judgments given by foreign courts. A particular focus of the course is the development of distinctive conflict of law rules within the European Union in the areas of tort, contract and commercial litigation

Assessment

Take Home Assignment - 100%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU44351

Module Name

Corporate Governance

Cohorts Available:

JS / SS Single Honours, Law Major B
JS Law Major A, Joint Honours, Law Minor

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

MT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

2 hours of lectures per week in the 1st Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Ailbhe O’Neill

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Identify and analyse the agency problems that arise in the modern corporation;
• Evaluate the various solutions that have been proposed to these problems;
• Map the connection between the regulatory, legal and economic environment and corporate governance in different jurisdictions and at different points in history
• Discuss and debate issues of corporate social responsibility and the interests of stakeholders

Module Learning Aims

To understand the issues that arise in the modern corporation and to have a framework for analysing same.

Module Content

The objective of this module is to develop an understanding of the development of corporate governance and its importance to companies and their stakeholders.  The module will investigate the processes of supervision and control within companies (including board composition, board committees and board remuneration) and it will determine the primary aims of these processes. The theory and the reality of shareholder democracy and corporate social responsibility will be analysed. Students will be referred to multidisciplinary academic material particularly from the fields of law and economics, behavioural economics and management theory. The theory will be contextualized and there will be discussions of high profile governance scandals and the corporate governance failings in credit institutions revealed in the wake of financial crises.

Recommended Reading List

Various papers and texts will be assigned throughout the course.

Module Pre-requisite

Assessment

Essay (5,000 words)  – 100%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU34042

Module Name

Criminology

Cohorts Available

JS/SS Single Honours, Law Major B
JS Law Major A, Joint Honours, Law Minor

Open Module for Non-Law Students – JS year.  Students advised to consult https://www.tcd.ie/tjh/open-modules/ for more details.

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

HT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures in the 2nd Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Mary Rogan

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module, students should be able to:

• Critically appraise social and political ideas relating to crime and the criminal justice system.
• Construct well-sourced arguments on criminological topics using a broad multi-disciplinary  approach
• Identify and analyse general principles of key criminological theories;
• Appraise and evaluate the development of criminological thought;
• Map the connections between different strands of theoretical analysis about crime and punishment;
• Apply key tenets of criminological theory to analysis of the criminal justice system;
• Assess a wide range of literature from a range of relevant disciplines including law, sociology, political science, and health sciences to apply findings to criminal justice issues.
• Apply theoretical and/or empirical research to a criminal justice issue.

Module Content

This module examines a variety of theoretical perspectives on the reasons why people commit crime, what constitutes crime, and how states respond to crime. Students will explore a range of theories from classical and positivist approaches, to sociological theories, to feminist approaches, and contemporary research. The relevance of these theories to the case of Ireland, and aspects of criminal justice internationally will also be assessed.    

Assessment

Outline of assignment: 750 words (20%)
A piece in the style of a journal article or research report on a topic chosen by the student related to the module: 3500 words. 80%
 

Reassessment

As above

Pre requisites

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU34120

Module Name

Critical Perspectives on Law

Cohorts Available:

JS / SS Single Honours, Law Major B
JS Law Major A, Joint Honours, Law Minor

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

MT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

2 hours of lectures per week in the 1st Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Alan Brady & Prof David Kenny

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Identify and categorise political and ideological assumptions that have been subsumed into legal doctrine
• Describe and evaluate the appropriateness of grounding principles in the contemporary socio-economic context
• Differentiate the sectoral interest groups that benefit and do not benefit from the legal status quo
• Justify and defend principles with which they agree based on full evaluation of their applicability in the practical legal context
• Appraise the extent to which the existing corpus of Irish law serves its ostensible goals.

Module Learning Aims

Module Content

Doctrinal approaches to law are generally based on certain assumptions about human motivations and behaviour and the structure of society. Many of these grounding assumptions are rooted heavily in particular socio-political ideologies, most commonly those of 19th Century liberalism. Ideas about individual legal rights, justice and public policy have a strong tendency to assume a level of equality of power and opportunity that is wholly absent from the status quo in most developed economies.
The purpose of this module is to equip students to identify and critique the sacred cows of legal doctrine. By examining social context, economic realities and power relationships, the fallacies of many of the founding principles of core legal subjects will be deconstructed and evaluated. Students may ultimately conclude that these founding principles are sound or meritorious; however, whatever their conclusion, the process of critique and defence of fundamental elements of the legal order adds significantly to students’ understanding of the law.

The critique is primarily aimed at the core subjects that students will have studies during their Fresh modules. This ensures that students have sufficient background material. These subjects have also been chosen as they are the basis for the legal education of all professional lawyers in the state in that they are also the core subjects of the FE1 exams and the King’s Inns’ Diploma in Legal Studies.

Attendance at the weekly class is mandatory. 0.5% of the overall final grade will be deducted for any week missed (after the introductory week) without sufficient excuse being provided to the lecturers.

Assessment

Response paper 1 (1,500 words) – 47%
Response paper 2 (1,500 words) – 48%
Online Discussion Participation – 5%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU44161

Module Name

Current Issues in Constitutional Law

Cohorts Available

SS Single Honours, Law Major, Joint Honours, Law Minor

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

HT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

1-2 hours of lectures per week in the 2nd Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Prof. Rachael Walsh

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Critically and contextually analyse in detail leading cases in Irish constitutional law;
• Competently distil differing judicial positions in contentious judgments, and identify the broader context of those positions;
• Present complex constitutional law issues, and judicial reasoning relating to those issues, in a clear and compelling manner;
• Coordinate effectively with classmates in preparing presentations;
• Discuss current constitutional law issues in their political and social context;
• Critically analyse contextual issues in constitutional law on a thematic basis, tracking trends and developments over time;
• Make independent and original contributions to constitutional law discourse;
• Develop an awareness of the political and broader practical implications of constitutional litigation;
• Understand the role of the constitutional litigant and litigator in legal practice.

Module Learning Aims

Current Issues in Constitutional Law is a skills based course, designed to promote critical engagement by Sophister students with constitutional issues through close reading of major cases. Such cases, and complementary academic materials, will serve as a vehicle for exploring themes that run through constitutional law. The aim of this course is to deepen students’ knowledge and legal skills in constitutional law.

Module Content

This course will adopt the reading group format, which focuses on collective text analysis and student-led discussion of principles, themes, and impacts of major constitutional decisions. Students are assigned advanced reading, including cases and academic commentaries, with one or two students chosen to deliver a springboard presentation each week, which will catalyse a class discussion on the issues raised by the assigned readings. The lecturers will act as facilitators, contributing opinions and posing questions to tease out additional issues and deeper analysis, but will eschew the ordinary lecture format. Essential to this format is a small group of students. As a result, student numbers will be capped at c. 20 students.

The key materials for the course will be prescribed decisions of the Irish Superior Courts, as well as academic materials on Irish and comparative constitutional law. The course will concentrate on topical issues, incorporating major developments in constitutional law on an on-going basis.

The focus of the course will be on thorough individual reading of major cases and group discussion and analysis, through which the class can collectively explore major themes in constitutional law. The course will enhance students’ research abilities, their critical analysis of legal materials, their legal writing, and their communication skills. It will challenge them to think about constitutional law at both the detailed micro level of discrete problems and the broader macro level of cross-cutting thematic issues.

Recommended Reading List

Circulated in advance of each class.

Assessment

Two response papers 33% each and one class presentation - worth 33%. Attendance is mandatory and 0.5% will be deducted for any week missed unless excused by the lecturers.

Reassessment

Reassessment is as above, but the reassessment presentation is not in class, but rather an individual presentation with one or both module leaders.

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU34110

Module Name

Employment Law A

Cohorts Available

JS/SS Single Honours, Law Major B
JS Law Major A, Joint Honours, Law Minor

Open Module for Non-Law Students – JS year.  Students advised to consult https://www.tcd.ie/tjh/open-modules/ for more details.

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

HT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the first half of the 2nd semester
In-person attendance is compulsory in this module.

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Desmond Ryan

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this module, students should be able to:

• Identify and analyse the relationship between the different sources of Irish employment law and the various fora in which employment disputes are litigated;
• Appraise and evaluate the substantive legal principles in a number of distinct areas of employment law;
• Locate employment law within current societal developments, particularly having regard to the gig economy, COVID-19, remote working, social media and work-life balance considerations.

Module Content

This module offers an introduction to employment law in Ireland in 2023, introducing students both to the variety of overlapping sources of employment law and to the multiplicity of different ways in which employment disputes may be litigated.  It analyses the nature of the employment relationship, the contract of employment, the gig economy and the impact of COVID-19 on the employment relationship.

Assessment

Response paper (3,000 words) - 100%

Reassessment

Response paper (3,000 words) - 100%

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules
https://tcd.blackboard.com/

Module Code

LAU34111

Module Name

Employment Law

Cohorts Available

JS/SS Single Honours, Law Major B
JS Law Major A, Joint Honours, Law Minor

Open Module for Non-Law Students – JS year.  Students advised to consult https://www.tcd.ie/tjh/open-modules/ for more details.

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

HT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 2nd semester. In-person attendance is compulsory in this module.

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Desmond Ryan

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this module, students should be able to:

• Identify and analyse the relationship between the different sources of Irish employment law and the various fora in which employment disputes are litigated;
• Appraise and evaluate the substantive legal principles in a number of distinct areas of employment law;
• Locate employment law within current societal developments, particularly having regard to COVID-19, remote working, social media and work-life balance considerations;
• Analyse and explain specific statutory regimes and their application in practice;
• Identify and evaluate the range of remedies available in employment litigation;
• Apply critical analysis skills and techniques to different essay and response-based employment law questions.

Module Content

This module offers an introduction to employment law in Ireland in 2023, introducing students both to the variety of overlapping sources of employment law and to the multiplicity of different ways in which employment disputes may be litigated.  It analyses the nature of the employment relationship, the contract of employment, the gig economy and the impact of COVID-19 on the employment relationship.
 A thorough analysis is undertaken of employers’ statutory and common law obligations to their employees, including the study of the liability of employers for workplace harassment, bullying and stress, and the potential for vicarious liability being imposed upon employers in this context. Employment equality law also receives detailed treatment in this module, as does the termination of employment under both common law and statute. The module concludes with a detailed analysis of remedies in employment law, with special emphasis on the distinctive body of law that continues to grow in the context of employment injunctions.

Assessment

Essay (3,000 words) - 50%, Response paper (3,000 words) - 50%

Reassessment

As Above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules
https://tcd.blackboard.com/

Module Code

LAU34130

Module Name

Environmental Law A

Cohorts Available

JS/SS Single Honours, Law Major B
JS Law Major A, Joint Honours, Law Minor

Open Module for Non-Law Students – JS year.  Students advised to consult https://www.tcd.ie/tjh/open-modules/ for more details.

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

HT Weeks 1 - 6

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 2nd Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Surya Roy

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this module, students should be able to: 

• Appraise the prevalence of environmental law in individual, commercial and governmental activities
• Interrogate core concepts that inform environmental law 
• Identify relevant approaches to environmental concerns and remedies offered by other fields of public and private law such as constitutional law, human rights law, property law and tort law 
• Critically evaluate similarities and differences in environmental law within and between legal systems

Module Content

Environmental law expertise is traditionally considered useful if it helps a manager manoeuvre myriad rules and regulations, or if it helps an environmentalist combat industrialisation. Further, there is a concentration on either local or international or regional law. This module rejects an either or approach, and wishes to convey that environmental law cuts across and within legal systems, fields of law, vested interests and disciplinary boundaries. At the same time, it aims to assist students with negotiating this complexity by concentrating on common principles, illustrated through case studies. Notably, the precautionary principle and the polluter-pays principle are examined. Such principles, in turn, prompt an analysis of the use of property rights in managing and dealing with environmental problems. Property rights doubles up as a useful lens in appreciating questions pertaining to land use. The module requires students to discuss and debate theoretical nuance and practical application.  
Given that climate change has become a distinct and inescapable legal concern, special attention is given to the practice and theory of climate law. This includes understanding the unique nature of international climate law, existing instruments of mitigation such as the European Union Emissions Trading System and climate battles fought in courts.

Assessment

Review 60% Online Test 40%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules
https://tcd.blackboard.com/

Module Code

LAU34131

Module Name

Environmental Law

Cohorts Available

JS/SS Single Honours, Law Major B
JS Law Major A, Joint Honours, Law Minor

Open Module for Non-Law Students – JS year.  Students advised to consult https://www.tcd.ie/tjh/open-modules/ for more details.

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

HT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 2nd Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Surya Roy

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this module, students should be able to:
 

• Appraise the prevalence of environmental law in individual, commercial and governmental activities
• Interrogate core concepts that inform environmental law 
• Identify relevant approaches to environmental concerns and remedies offered by other fields of public and private law such as constitutional law, human rights law, property law and tort law 
• Critically evaluate similarities and differences in environmental law within and between legal systems

Module Content

Environmental law expertise is traditionally considered useful if it helps a manager manoeuvre myriad rules and regulations, or if it helps an environmentalist combat industrialisation. Further, there is a concentration on either local or international or regional law. This module rejects an either or approach, and wishes to convey that environmental law cuts across and within legal systems, fields of law, vested interests and disciplinary boundaries. At the same time, it aims to assist students with negotiating this complexity by concentrating on common principles, illustrated through case studies. Notably, the precautionary principle and the polluter-pays principle are examined. Such principles, in turn, prompt an analysis of the use of property rights in managing and dealing with environmental problems. Property rights doubles up as a useful lens in appreciating questions pertaining to land use. The module requires students to discuss and debate theoretical nuance and practical application.  
Given that climate change has become a distinct and inescapable legal concern, special attention is given to the practice and theory of climate law. This includes understanding the unique nature of international climate law, existing instruments of mitigation such as the European Union Emissions Trading System and climate battles fought in courts.

Assessment

Review 30%, Essay/Group Report 50%, Online Test 20%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules
https://tcd.blackboard.com/

Module Code

LAU44292

Module Name

Equality Law

Cohorts Available

SS Single Honours, Law Major,  Joint Honours, Law Minor

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

HT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 2nd Semester. 

Module Coordinator/Owner

Prof Mark Bell

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

• identify and explain the basic concepts found within equality law;
• critically evaluate the current law and options for its reform;
• demonstrate written communication skills;

apply analytical and problem-solving skills to equality law.

Module Learning Aims

1.  To introduce the Irish and European legal frameworks on equality.
2.     To examine the conceptual framework underpinning equality law.
3.              To explore contemporary issues and controversies within equality law.

Module Content

Equality is a value that commands wide support and it is commonly guaranteed by national constitutions and human rights instruments. Yet differences emerge over the appropriate role for law in combating discrimination and when equality demands the same treatment or recognition of diversity. The enduring salience of equality has been reflected in social movements, such as MeToo or Black Lives Matter. This module provides an opportunity for students to examine Equality Law from a national, international and comparative perspective. The module will introduce students to the legal framework on equality found in Irish Law and European Law (EU and ECHR). It will examine key topics, such as the prohibited grounds of discrimination; the forms of discrimination prohibited by the law; and the role for law in promoting equality. 

Recommended Reading List

Sandra Fredman, Discrimination Law (3rd edn, OUP 2022).
Marguerite Bolger, Claire Bruton, and Clíona Kimber,
Employment Equality Law (2nd edn, Round Hall 2022).
David Oppenheimer, Sheila Foster, Sora Han, and Richard Ford, Comparative Equality and Anti-Discrimination Law (3rd edn, Edward Elgar 2020

Assessment

1 essay (2,000 words) – 50%
Exam  – 50%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU22502/ LAU34032

Module Name

EU LAW

Cohorts Available

JS Joint Honours – all pathways as follows:
JS Single Honours, Law Major – compulsory*
JS Joint Honours, Law Minor – Optional

Open Module for Non-Law Students – JS year.  Students advised to consult https://www.tcd.ie/tjh/open-modules/ for more details.

*SS Law Major B - students abroad who do not complete EU law must complete this in the SS year.  See also EU Substantive Law and EU Constitutional Law below

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

HT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 2nd semester
4 x 1 hours of seminars in the 2nd semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

 Prof. Mark Bell & Dr Roisin Costello & Dr Sarah Arduin & Prof. Caoimhín MacMaoláin

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module, students should be able to: 

• Identify and explain key concepts in European Union Law;
• Critically evaluate the role of the EU Courts in the evolution of European Union law;
• Critically evaluate the relationship between European Union Law and the national law of the EU Member States;
• Discuss and appraise key aspects of European Union substantive law. 

Module Learning Aims

To develop a comprehensive knowledge about, and understanding of, the role of European Union law in the legal systems of the EU Member States.

Module Content

 The aim of this module is to provide an introduction to European Union law, in particular to examine its evolution and relationship to national law. The first part of the module concentrates on constitutional issues, including the role of the Court of Justice of the EU. The second part of the course examines selected aspects of substantive law, including free movement of goods and persons.

Recommended Reading List

Paul Craig and Gráinne de Búrca, EU Law: Texts, Cases and Materials (8th edn, OUP 2024).

Assessment

Examination (2 hour paper) – 100%

Reassessment

Examination (2 hour paper) – 100%

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules https://tcd.blackboard.com/

Module Code 

LAU34031

 Module Name 

European Union Constitutional Law 

 Module Short Title 

EU Constitutional Law 

ECTS weighting 

5

Semester/term taught 

HT

Contact Hours and  Indicative Student  Workload 

18 hours of lectures (3 per week for 6 weeks in the 2nd semester)  2 x 1 hours of seminars in the 2nd semester   

Module Coordinator/Owner 

Prof. Mark Bell & Roisin Costello & Dr Sarah Arduin & Prof. Caoimhín MacMaoláin

 Learning Outcomes 

Having successfully completed this module, students should be able to: Identify and explain the principal sources of EU law;   Critically evaluate the protection of fundamental rights in EU Constitutional Law;  Critically evaluate the relationship between EU Law and the national law of the EU Member States.

Module Learning Aims 

To develop knowledge about, and understanding of, the constitutional law of the European Union. 

Module Content 

The aim of this course is to provide an overview of the key features of EU Constitutional Law. It will introduce and explain the sources of EU law, as well as the EU’s institutional structure. It examines the principal doctrines that govern the relationship between EU law and national law, such as primacy and direct effect. It explores the role of the Court of Justice in the construction of the Union’s constitutional law.  

Recommended  Reading List 

Paul Craig and Gráinne de Búrca, EU Law: Texts, Cases and Materials (8th edn, OUP 2024).

 
Module Pre-requisite

NB. This module cannot be taken in conjunction with LAU34032 EU Law. A student who has already taken that module cannot take this module (and vice versa).

 
Module Co Requisite

None

Teaching and Learning Methods (including details of supervision)

Lectures, seminars, use of Blackboard VLE.

 Assessment Details
 

Exam (1 hour) 100%

Reassessment

As above

 
Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules https://tcd.blackboard.com/

Module Code 

LAU34033

Module Name 

EU Substantive Law

Cohorts Available

SS Single Honours, Law Major B abroad in JS who may not have fully completed EU law.  Please contact Exchange Programme coordinator for verification

Open Module for Non-Law Students – JS year.  Students advised to consult https://www.tcd.ie/tjh/open-modules/ for more details.

ECTS weighting 

5

Semester/term taught 

HT

Contact Hours and  Indicative Student  Workload 

hours of lectures (3 per week for 5 weeks in the 2nd semester) 2 x 1 hours of seminars in the 2nd semester   

Module  Coordinator/Owner 

Prof. Mark Bell & Roisin Costello & Dr Sarah Arduin & Prof. Caoimhín MacMaoláin

Learning Outcomes 

Having successfully completed this module, students should be able to:

•   Identify and explain the principal sources of EU substantive law;

Critically evaluate selected issues in EU substantive law, including the rights of Union citizens, and the law governing the free movement of goods and persons.

Module Learning Aims 

To develop knowledge about, and understanding of, key issues in the substantive law of the European Union.

Module Content 

The aim of this course is to provide an overview of the key features of EU Substantive Law. It will introduce and explain the sources of this area of EU law, with particular focus on the free movement of goods, the free movement of people, and Union citizenship. It examines the relationship between EU law and national law. It explores the role of the Court of Justice in the construction of the Union’s substantive laws and the impact that this has had on EU Member States.

Recommended  Reading List 

Paul Craig and Gráinne de Búrca, EU Law: Texts, Cases and Materials (8th edn, OUP 2024).

Module Pre-requisite 

NB. This module cannot be taken in conjunction with LAU34032 EU Law. A student who has already taken that module cannot take this module (and vice versa). 

Teaching and Learning Methods (including details of supervision)

Lectures, seminars, use of Blackboard VLE. 

Assessment Details  

Exam (1 hour) 100%

Reassessment

Exam (1 hour) 100%

Module Website 

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU34061

Module Name

European Human Rights

Cohorts Available:

JS / SS Single Honours, Law Major B
JS Law Major A, Joint Honours, Law Minor

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

MT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 1st Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Mr Michael Becker

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module, students should be able to:

• Describe and evaluate the structure and operation of the Council of Europe bodies, with a primary focus on the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR)
• Explain the procedural requirements for bringing individual complaints to the ECtHR
• Demonstrate familiarity with the jurisprudence of the ECtHR across a range of substantive rights, including overarching questions of interpretation and the evolution of rights
• Identify and engage critically with contemporary debates surrounding the role and function of the ECtHR, including questions of legitimacy

Module Content

This module will focus on the regional human rights regime established by the Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR). In addition to providing an overview of practice and procedure under the ECHR, the module will examine selected European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) case law across a range of substantive rights and contemporary issues of pressing concern. This will include a critical appraisal of key concepts such as ‘European consensus’ and the margin of appreciation. Students will be asked to engage throughout with the relationship between political context and the ECtHR’s jurisprudence, including contemporary debates about the role of the ECtHR in domestic legal systems. Some attention will also be dedicated to other sources of human rights protection in Europe, including under European Union law.

Assessment

Essay (2,500 words) 50%, Exam (1 x 2.5 hour paper) 50%.

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules
https://tcd.blackboard.com/

Module Code

LAU34011

Module Name

Evidence

Cohorts Available:

JS / SS Single Honours, Law Major B
JS Law Major A, Joint Honours, Law Minor

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

MT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week and additional
seminars in the 1st semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Liz Heffernan

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module, students should be able to:

• Understand the relationship between evidentiary theory, doctrine and practice;
• Explain the role that evidence plays in the trial process;
• Identify and critically analyse evidentiary rules and principles in relevant legislation and case law;
• Engage in effective research and writing in the law of evidence;
• Apply evidentiary concepts and rules to solve practical problems;
• Critically evaluate evidentiary law and policy and engage in debate about reform.

Module Learning Aims

Evidence is the information on which judges and juries decide issues of fact in civil and criminal trials. It includes the testimony of witnesses, the opinions of experts, forensic evidence, documents and IT data. The law of evidence is grounded in common law and statutory rules and it operates within a framework of international and constitutional rights. Building on the Fresh modules on Criminal Law and Constitutional Law I, this module introduces students to the law of evidence, explores its application in the trial process and critically analyses its contribution to the administration of justice.

Module Content

In the first part of this module, students explore the common law jury trial and its traditional emphasis on the presentation of evidence through in-court testimony. Topics include the examination of witnesses, the accused as a witness and the rule against hearsay evidence. In the second part of the module, students investigate and analyse the application of evidentiary law and policy in specific contexts such as expert evidence, the lawyer-client relationship, identification evidence and evidence unlawfully obtained.

Recommended Reading List

Liz Heffernan, Evidence in Criminal Trials (2nd edn, Bloomsbury Professional, 2020)

Assessment

Examination (1 x 2.5 hour paper) - 100%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules
https://tcd.blackboard.com/

Module Code

LAU34141

Module Name

Family and Child Law

Cohorts Available:

JS / SS Single Honours, Law Major B
JS Law Major A, Joint Honours, Law Minor

Open Module for Non-Law Students – JS year.  Students advised to consult https://www.tcd.ie/tjh/open-modules/ for more details.

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

MT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 2nd semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Patricia Brazil

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module, students should have:

• an understanding of the law relating to families and children in Ireland in the light of the Constitution, the domestic legal framework as well as international human rights law. 
• a critical awareness of the policy behind family and child law in Ireland.
• a practical appreciation of the implications of family and child law in this jurisdiction.

Module Content

This course will cover the legal status of the family and the child, the law relating to family formation (including marriage, civil partnership, cohabitants and non-marital families) and the law recognising family breakdown (including nullity, separation and divorce) as well as the law regulating family breakdown (to include preliminary/ancillary orders in separation/divorce/dissolution of civil partnership). We will also examine the child’s right to a family (including guardianship, custody and access as well as adoption) and the protection of vulnerable family members (including child protection and domestic violence).

Module Co Requisite

N/A

Assessment

Problem Question 50%, Individual Essay (3,500 words) 50%

Reassessment

As Above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules
https://tcd.blackboard.com/

Module Code

LAU34140

Module Name

Family and Child Law A

Cohorts Available:

JS / SS Single Honours, Law Major B
JS Law Major A, Joint Honours, Law Minor

Open Module for Non-Law Students – JS year.  Students advised to consult https://www.tcd.ie/tjh/open-modules/ for more details.

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

MT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week from Weeks 1-6

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Patricia Brazil

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module, students should have 

• an understanding of the law relating to families in Ireland in the light of the Constitution, the domestic legal framework as well as international human rights law. 
• a critical awareness of the policy behind family law in Ireland.
• a practical appreciation of the implications of family law in this jurisdiction.

Module Content

The course will cover the family as a legal entity, the law governing family formation (marriage, civil partnership and cohabitants), the law recognising family breakdown (nullity, separation and divorce) and the law regulating family breakdown (preliminary and ancillary orders)

Assessment

Individual 3,500 word essay

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules
https://tcd.blackboard.com/

Module Code

LAU44031

Module Name

Food Law

Cohorts Available:

SS Single Honours, Law Major, Joint Honours, Law Minor

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

MT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 1st Semester.

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Caoimhín MacMaoláin

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Identify the key sources of Irish Food Law;
• Categorise the main areas of Food Law and assess the most significant rules and regulations in each;
• Appraise the manner in which the production and marketing of food is regulated;
• Analyse the interaction between Food Law and human activity; and
• Assess the impact of other disciplines on the formulation of Food Law.

Module Learning Aims

To develop a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of Irish and European Union food law.

Module Content

Food safety has become a priority for the EU lawmaker, in particular following a series of scares such as those about ‘mad cow disease’ (BSE), dioxin poisoning and genetic modification. There are ongoing concerns about the relationship between diet and health. This module examines the ways in which the law can be, and is, used to address these problems. The focus is primarily on European Union rules in this area, as it is from here that most of our food law in Member States like Ireland now originates. The course will commence with a re-examination of EU rules on free movement for goods, with emphasis on the movement of food. Other topics covered by this module include organic food regulation, food safety, food quality, aspects of intellectual property rights, animal welfare, food labelling and claims and novel foods.

Recommended Reading List

MacMaoláin, ‘Irish Food Law’, Hart Publishing: Bloomsbury, 2019, ISBN: 978-1-5099-0779-3.

Module Pre-requisite

None

Module Co Requisite

None

Assessment

Essay (3,000 words, incl. footnotes) 50%
Class Test (1 hour) 50%

Reassessment

Essay (3,000 words, incl. footnotes) 50%
Class Test (1 hour) 50%

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules
https://tcd.blackboard.com/

Cohorts Available:

SS Single Honours, Law Major only

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

MT

Contact Hours and
Indicative Student
Workload

3 hours of lectures per week for 6 weeks until reading week in the 1st semester

Module
Coordinator/Owner

Dr Brian Barry

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to: 

• Appraise and evaluate the social and economic justifications for industrial property rights.
• Identify and analyse how industrial property rights are protected and commercially exploited, in both offline and online environments.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the implications of international conventions and the most important EU legislative measures, from both a trade-related and non-market perspective.
• Evaluate Ireland’s obligations in this field.
• Identify legal issues in complex cases and argue either side of the arguments raised by the parties involved;
• Demonstrate familiarity with the research tools and the materials through which they can deepen their knowledge of specific aspects of industrial property law.

Module Content

Industrial property law is an increasingly important and wide bundle of rules aimed at fostering and rewarding technological innovation and at protecting investments, fair competition, and goodwill in all business-related activities. This area of law has traditionally encompassed trademarks and patents, going through a process of exponential growth in the last few decades. On the one hand, the scope of existing rights has been extended to protect new assets and technologies such as trade secrecy, Internet domain names, and biotechnologies. On the other hand, protection started being granted on characteristics of products (such as three-dimensional shapes or smells) whose potential privatization raises serious issues for competition and the public interest. The module examines the social and economic justifications for industrial property rights as well as their multi-layered regulation.
The module draws upon a selection of domestic intellectual property regimes to show the impact of international and European law and decision-making on EU Member States and to critically evaluate some of the policies and goals that underlie today’s industrial property. Although the idea of multi-level regulation of patent and copyright laws goes back to the end of the 19th century, trademarks, patents and their enforcement have been globalised more effectively since the establishment of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 1994 and the related adoption of an international agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (known as the ‘TRIPS’ Agreement). The module provides an in-depth examination of the most important provisions of this Agreement and of other international industrial property conventions as well as EU regulations and directives that sought to harmonize (or in certain cases even unify, as in the case of trademarks) national legal systems such as the Irish one.

Teaching Methods

Module learning activities
Classes will consist of three 1-hour lectures per week for a total of 18 hours. Classes will be designed to foster interactivity among students, ensuring an ongoing dialogue between the instructor and the whole class. The instructor will encourage a collective, critical review of the module materials also via class contributions students can make by publishing (ungraded) posts, questions, and comments on Blackboard’s Discussion Board.

 Assessment
 

3000-word research paper
In response to one out of three questions the lecturer will circulate

Reassessment

As above

 
Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules  https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU44061

Module Name

Insolvency Law

Cohorts Available

SS Single Honours, Law Major, Joint Honours,  Law Minor

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

MT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

1.5 hours of lectures per week, 1st Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Felix Mezzanotte

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Describe and understand relevant concepts, substantive law and procedures in corporate insolvency law in Ireland
• Apply relevant legal rules and court decisions to resolve problems of insolvency law
• Critically analyse key issues and questions of insolvency law
• Work collaboratively to analyse and resolve problems involving insolvency law

Module Content

This module examines the law of corporate insolvency in Ireland. Key topics of study include examinership, receivership and liquidation. These topics are addressed comprehensively, covering both theoretical and practical aspects. Legal issues and problems are identified and analysed critically in class. An introduction to the rules governing personal insolvency in Ireland is also provided. The module is assessed via a collaborative group exercise, and by a take home exam which will take the form of a legal opinion. This module works as a complement to the Company Law module for those students planning to sit for the Law Society solicitor exam.

Module Pre-requisite

Module Co Requisite

Assessment

Take Home Exam (80%)
In-Class Group Problem Solving Exercise (20%)

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU44071

Module Name

Intellectual Property Law

Cohorts Available:

SS Single Honours, Law Major

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

MT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 1st Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Brian Barry

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Appraise and evaluate the social and economic justifications for intellectual property rights.
• Identify and analyse how intellectual property rights are protected and commercially exploited, in both offline and online environments.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the implications of international conventions and the most important EU legislative measures, from both a trade-related and non-market perspective.
• Evaluate Ireland’s obligations in this field.
• Identify legal issues in complex cases and argue either side of the arguments raised by the parties involved.
• Demonstrate familiarity with research tools and materials through which they can deepen their knowledge of specific aspects of intellectual property law.

Module Content

Intellectual property law is an increasingly important and wide bundle of rules aimed at fostering and rewarding human creativity and technological innovation and at protecting investments and goodwill in business-related activities. Intellectual property has traditionally encompassed copyright, trademarks and patents. This area of law has grown exponentially in the last few decades through the extension of the scope of existing rights to protect new assets, works and technologies (e.g. trade secrets, Internet domain names, computer programs, biotechnologies) and the creation of new types of rights (e.g. industrial designs, database rights, access rights for digital content). The module examines the social and economic justifications for intellectual property rights, as well as their multi-layered regulation.

The module draws upon a selection of domestic intellectual property regimes to show the impact of international and European law and decision-making on EU Member States and to critically evaluate some of the policies and goals that underlie intellectual property today. Although the idea of multi-level regulation of patent and copyright laws goes back to the end of the 19th century, intellectual property rights and their enforcement have been globalised more effectively since the establishment of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 1994 and the related adoption of an international agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (known as the ‘TRIPS’ Agreement). The module examines the most important provisions of this and other international intellectual property laws as well as the EU regulations and directives that have harmonized (or in certain cases even unified, as in the case of trademarks and designs) national legal systems such as the Irish one.

Assessment

Exam – 100%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU44142

Module Name

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW

Cohorts Available

SS Single Honours, Law Major, Joint Honours, Law Minor

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

HT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 2nd  Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Mr Michael Becker

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module, students should be able to:

• Identify and describe the essential characteristics of the international human rights regime
• Discuss and evaluate the interaction between different international mechanisms for the enforcement of human rights
• Apply concepts, doctrines and rules to practical human rights challenges to resolve hypothetical fact scenarios
• Successfully complete independent research into a particular aspect of international human rights law

Module Content

This course examines the foundations and development of international human rights law. It considers the historical, political and legal context from which the current framework for human rights has emerged and analyses the international and regional instruments and mechanisms for monitoring and enforcing human rights. Select case studies explore the complex interplay between law and policy and the role of international and national actors in responding to human rights violations. Lectures will highlight central debates surrounding the evolution of international human rights norms and practices, including the mechanisms available for responding to mass violations of human rights, the evolving field of business and human rights, and the links between human rights and the environment.

Assessment

Essay (2,500 words) and Presentation 50%, Online Exam 50%.

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU44050

 Module Name

International Trade Law

Cohorts Available

JS/SS Single Honours, Law Major B
JS Law Major A, Joint Honours, Law Minor

 ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

HT

 Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

1-2  hours of lectures per week in the 1st Semester

 Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr. Caoimhin MacMaolain

 Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module, students should be able to:

• Explain the operations and functions of the World Trade Organisation;

• Appraise the role of the World Trade Organisation in the regulation of international trade;

• Evaluate the impact of regulating international trade on global development;

• Analyse the methods used for resolving international trade disputes; and

• Describe and explain the relationship between the World Trade Organisation and regional free-trade areas, such as the EU.

 Module Content

This module examines the key rules and agreements governing the operations of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), including the Agreements on Technical Barriers to Trade, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and Intellectual Property Rights. It provides an introduction to the regulation of international trade by identifying and assessing the impact that these international agreements have on the national laws of members and the functioning of regional trade areas, such as the European Union. Emphasis is also placed upon the manner in which the WTO aims to further integrate developing countries into the global trading system and the resolution of trade disputes at the international level.

Assessment 

Essay (4,000 words) 100%

Reassessment

Essay (4,000 words) 100%

 Module Website

BB

Module Code

LAU44036 

Module Name

Law and Sustainable Investments

Cohorts Available

SS Law, Law Major, Joint Honours, Law Minor

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

HT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

17 lecture hours (11 x 1.5 hours per week)
33 hours pre-class reading (11 x 3 hours per week)
50 hours essay assignment
25 hours group project assignment

Module Coordinator/Owner

Felix Mezzanotte

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module, students should be able to:
LO1. Identify and explain key concepts, tools and rules governing sustainability investments and the protection of investors in the European Union
LO2. Apply key concepts, tools and rules to resolve problems involving sustainable investments and investors.
LO3. Critically analyse the problems that investors face when deciding to invest sustainably, and evaluate legal, regulatory and policy solutions that mitigate such problems
LO4. Communicate ideas, opinions and findings effectively in oral and written modes.
LO5. Conducting research independently to address specific questions of investor protection in the context of sustainability

Module Content

This module covers the EU legal framework that governs sustainable investments. The module develops around four main pillars. First, the conceptualisation of sustainability in investments, products and metrics. Second, the rights and restrictions applicable to investors’ decisions to invest in a sustainable manner. Third, greenwashing risk and information disclosure obligations. Fourth, the discussion of policy options that further promote investor protection including effective rule enforcement and investors’ literacy. The students registering to this module will be interested in the integration of sustainability in financial markets and willing to learn and discuss issues of law and policy, including the utilisation of interdisciplinary resources. The module is assessed through a maximum 4000-word essay (70%) and group project (30%).

This module is a valuable complement other modules connected to investors, sustainability and the financial sector including the module in Financial Services Law [LAU 44132] and the module in Responsible Business, ESG and Ethics [LAU34261]. It also provides a critical knowledge base for those students interested in the Capstone Module: Law, Sustainability and Finance [LAU 44015]

Assessment

Module Code

LAU44041

Module Name

Legal Philosophy

Cohorts Available

SS Single Honours (if Jurisprudence was not take in JF or Erasmus year), Law Major, Joint Honours, Law Minor

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

MT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 1st semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr David Prendergast

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Formulate their own, critically aware, position on jurisprudential issues;
• Critically analyse primary texts of a philosophical character;
• Interrogate various connections between law and morality;
• Appraise the value of philosophical reflection about law for the practice of law;
• Explore connections between jurisprudential theories and legal doctrinal issues

Module Content

This module facilitates students in the formulation of their own, critically aware, understanding of the nature of law and its features. Students develop their ability to articulate a reasoned position on distinctive features of law and a legal system and on questions such as the relationship between law and morality, law’s legitimacy and function in a social order. Among topics that may be explored are the concept of law, the rule of law, authority, and connections between law and morality.
This module meets the requirement of the Honorable Society of Kings Inns that candidates entering the Barrister-at-Law degree programme would have studied Jurisprudence as part of their qualifying law degree.

Assessment

Response paper (25%); Exam (75%)

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU44062

Module Name

MEDIA LAW

Cohorts Available

SS Single Honours, Law Major, Joint Honours, Law Minor

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

HT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 2nd Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Ailbhe O’Neill

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Critically assess how the law regulates the operation of the media in Ireland and across Europe;
• Explain the salient elements of Irish media law;
• Evaluate the emerging developments in media law and regulation, including the use of non-legal governance;
• Apply critical analysis and problem-solving skills and techniques to different essay and problem questions based on material covered in the module;
• Conduct research into developing areas of media law and practice.

Module Content

This course will consider both the theoretical and practical questions which arise in this evolving area of the law. Initially, the course will examine the role of the media in a constitutional democracy. The constitutional protection of the media in Ireland will be compared with similar regimes in other jurisdictions with particular emphasis on the jurisprudence of the European Convention of Human Rights. The course will then address a number of specific areas of media law. Lectures will deal with topics such as privacy, contempt of court, the protection of journalistic sources, obscenity, blasphemy, and the regulatory regimes in Ireland and in the EU. Throughout the course, lectures will explore the issues raised by the rise of new media forms like the internet.

Assessment

Essay (7,000 words) – 100%

Reassessment

Essay (7,000 words) – 100%

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU44151

Module Name

Medical Law and Ethics

Cohorts Available:

SS Single Honours, Law Major, Joint Honours, Law Minor

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

MT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 1st Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Andrea Mulligan

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Accurately describe and apply law to novel situations that arise in medical practice.
• Explain medical technologies and procedures to a non-specialist audience.
• Debate ethical and philosophical issues that arise in healthcare in a thorough but sensitive manner, while responding to questions and comments.
• Identify the principles, values and rights at play in medical practice.
• Situate Irish law in the international context and draw relevant comparisons between schemes of regulation in different jurisdictions.
• Research and write on complex medico-legal topics.

Module Learning Aims

Module Content

Medical Law and Ethics will give students the opportunity to tackle contemporary legal issues in medicine and healthcare. The module will deal both with the black-letter law that governs medical practice and with the broader philosophical, ethical and social questions that are raised by medical advances. Students will be guided through the range of legal and quasi-legal instruments that regulate medical practice, including the Constitution, Tort Law, and professional guidelines, and encouraged to consider the advantages and disadvantages of these regulatory tools.

As well as providing students with a thorough grasp of Irish Law, the module will be substantially comparative in nature. Comparative legal study will be especially valuable on topics that are unregulated, or under-regulated by Irish Law. This module aims both to prepare students for practice in the field of medical law, and to encourage critical thinking and exploration of the theoretical challenges presented by the subject.   

Students will on occasion be required to read certain materials ahead of class. To this end, the reading list will be divided into required reading and further reading. Students will be expected to analyse the topics in class, and to participate in class discussions. As well as using traditional legal materials the course will draw on relevant work from the fields of science, philosophy, sociology and politics.

Assessment

Take home exam 50%,
Policy Report (3,500 words) 50%

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU44251

Module Name

Medical Law and Ethics A

Module Short Title

Medical Law and Ethics: Foundational Principles

Cohorts Available:

SS Single Honours, Law Major, Joint Honours, Law Minor

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

MT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 1st Semester (until RW)

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Andrea Mulligan

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Accurately describe and apply law to novel situations that arise in medical practice.
• Debate ethical and philosophical issues that arise in healthcare in a thorough but sensitive manner, while responding to questions and comments.
• Write legal advice that addresses a range of medical law issues in practical context.
• Situate Irish law in the international context and explore divergences in both common law jurisprudence and legislation.

Module Learning Aims

To provide students with a  broad foundation in medical law to prepare them for practice or further study.

Module Content

This module addresses the core topics in medical law: clinical negligence, consent to treatment, and confidentiality. These are the legal and ethical issues that arise in all healthcare interactions, and therefore the topics that arise most commonly in practice. The focus of this module will be both on mastering the black letter law aspects of these topics, but also on delving into the theoretical principles that underpin them. To encourage students to understand these topics in context, the module will be assessed via a complex legal opinion that will encompass all of the topics studied.

Recommended Reading List

• Mills and Mulligan, Medical Law in Ireland (Bloomsbury, 2017)
• Jackson, Medical Law: Texts, Cases and Materials (OUP, 5th ed, 2019)
• Herring, Medical Law and Ethics (8th ed, 2020, OUP)

Assessment

Take home exam 100%

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code

LAU44171

Module Name

Penology

Cohorts Available:

SS Single Honours, Law Major, Joint Honours, Law Minor

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

MT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

1½ hours of lectures per week in the 1st Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Mary Rogan

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module, students should be able to:

• Critically appraise social and political ideas relating to state punishment of offenders
• Construct well-sourced arguments relating to sentencing and prison using a multi-disciplinary approach, as appropriate
• Analyse and evaluate the workings of the penal system
• Critically analyse an aspect of the penal system and/or penology in-depth, using appropriate sources.
• Present findings in a logical and clear manner.

Module Content

Penology involves the study of how the state punishes those who have been convicted of offences. The subject covers the interlocking issues of sentencing, prison and non-custodial punishments. The module will equip students to take an in-depth look at the penal system and evaluate why when and how and it is legitimate for the state to punish. The module will also take a practical look at the administration of punishment, with a particular focus on prisons. Students will examine the contemporary issues and problems concerning these institutions and evaluate possibilities for reform. Students will also conduct analysis of penal policy. Penology involves a broad multi-disciplinary approach which includes aspects of sociology, political theory and philosophy as well as law and human rights. It is closely related to criminology. Students are not required to take the module in criminology; however, penology and criminology are natural partner-courses and students who study both will find that they inform one another.

Assessment

Coursework (3,500 words). Either in the style of an academic journal article OR a literature review accompanied by a briefing paper for a Minister or senior civil servant - 100%

Reassessment

As above

Prerequisites

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Note

Module outline/assessment details subject to change

Module Code

LAU34081

 
Module Name

Public International Law

Cohorts Available

JS/SS Single Honours Law Major B
JS Law Major A, Joint Honours, Law Minor

Open Module for Non-Law Students – JS year.  Students advised to consult https://www.tcd.ie/tjh/open-modules/ for more details.

 
ECTS weighting

10

 
Semester/term taught

MT

 
Contact Hours and
Indicative Student
Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in 1st semester, Seminars TBC

 
Module
Coordinator/Owner

Dr Christiane Ahlborn

 
Module Learning Outcomes with embedded Graduate Attributes

Having successfully completed this module, students should be able to:

• Identify the main concepts, principles and processes in the field of public international law;
• Demonstrate a sound knowledge of the rules applicable in core areas of the law, such as state sovereignty, the peaceful settlement of international disputes, the use of force, international organisations and self-determination;
• Analyse international affairs from the perspective of public international law;
• Describe in some detail the place of the individual within the international legal system;
• Explain the nature of public international law and the role it plays in the conduct of world affairs.

Module Code

LAU34252

 
Module Name

Public Interest Law A

Cohorts Available

JS/SS Single Honours, Law Major B
JS Law Major A, Joint Honours, Law Minor

Open Module for Non-Law Students – JS year.  Students advised to consult https://www.tcd.ie/tjh/open-modules/ for more details.

 
ECTS weighting

5

 
Semester/term taught

HT

 
Contact Hours and
Indicative Student
Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in weeks 1 - 6 in the 1st semester
 

 
Module
Coordinator/Owner

Prof Gerry Whyte

 
Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this module, students should be able to: 

• Critically assess how the legal system may promote social and political reform, having regard, in particular, to the relationship between the political and legal systems; 
• Describe the different models for delivering legal services to marginalised communities and the different types of service provided; 
• Conduct research into substantive and adjectival areas of the law relating to social exclusion.

 
Module Content

Public Interest Law can be defined as ‘the use of litigation and public advocacy to advance the cause of minority or disadvantaged groups and individuals.’ The course examines the use of the law, in particular, litigation, to promote social inclusion. In Part A, we consider the definition and history of Public Interest Law and the issue of access to legal services; In Part B, we consider a number of issues relating specifically to the use of litigation, namely, the constitutional and political legitimacy of public interest litigation; the implications of Public Interest Law for court practice and procedures; and the merits and demerits of litigation strategy.

 Assessment
 

Essay (4,000 words)

Reassessment

As above

 
Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules https://tcd.blackboard.com/

JS/SS Single Honours, Law Major B
JS Law Major A, Joint Honours, Law Minor

Open Module for Non-Law Students – JS year.  Students advised to consult https://www.tcd.ie/tjh/open-modules/ for more details.

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

HT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week

Module Coordinator/Owner

Prof Gerry Whyte

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this module, students should be able to:
 

• Critically assess how the legal system may promote social and political reform, having regard, in particular, to the relationship between the political and legal systems;
• Describe how the Irish courts have dealt with legal claims pursued by people with learning difficulties, children from dysfunctional families, members of the Traveller community and social welfare claimants;
• Describe the different models for delivering legal services to marginalized communities and the different types of service provided;
• Conduct research into substantive and adjectival areas of the law relating to social exclusion.

Module Learning Aims

Module Content

Public Interest Law can be defined as ‘the use of litigation and public advocacy to advance the cause of minority or disadvantaged groups and individuals.’ The course examines the use of the law, in particular, litigation, to promote social inclusion. In Part A, we consider the definition and history of Public Interest Law and the issue of access to legal services; In Part B, we consider a number of issues relating specifically to the use of litigation, namely, the constitutional and political legitimacy of public interest litigation; the implications of Public Interest Law for court practice and procedures; and the merits and demerits of litigation strategy. In Part C, we consider selected areas of substantive law such as social welfare law, Travellers’ rights, and children’s rights in an evaluation of the role of the Irish courts in promoting social inclusion.

Module Pre-requisite

N/A

Module Co Requisite

N/A

Assessment

Essay (4,000 words) – 40%, exam (1 x 2-hour paper) – 60%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules
https://tcd.blackboard.com/

Cohorts Available

SS Single Honours, Law Major, Joint Honours, Law Minor

ECTS weighting

10

Semester/term taught

HT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures per week in the 1st Semester

Module Coordinator/Owner

Dr Patricia Brazil

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Identify and evaluate the law relating to refugees and migrants in light of international human rights law, membership of the European Union and the domestic legal framework;
• Critically analyse the policy behind refugee and immigration law in the domestic and international spheres:
• Apply critical analysis and problem-solving skills and techniques to different essay and problem-based refugee and immigration law questions.

Module Content

The aims of this course are to outline the law relating to refugee and immigration in Ireland in the light of EU membership and international human rights law, to develop a critical understanding of the policy behind refugee and immigration law, and to develop a practical understanding of the implications of refugee and immigration law. The course is divided in to three parts, Part I dealing with the International Framework for Refugee Protection, Part II addresses the European dimension and Part III considers the Irish framework on Refugee and Immigration law. Topics covered include Principles and Key Concepts in Refugee Protection, the Convention relating to Status of Refugees 1951, Alternative Forms and Instruments of Protecting, the Evolving EU Acquis on Asylum, European Refugee Protection: Practices and Policies, the Refugee in Irish Law, Citizenship and Naturalisation in Irish law and Immigration Law in Ireland.

Assessment

Essay (3,500 words) - 50%, Group Project - 50%

Reassessment

As above

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

ECTS weighting

5

Semester/term taught

MT

Contact Hours and Indicative Student Workload

3 hours of lectures/seminars per week for 6 weeks in the 1st Semester until reading week
Attendance is mandatory and 0.5% will be deducted for any class missed after the first week of term unless excused by the Module Coordinator.

Module Coordinator/Owner

Prof Blanaid Clarke

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should:

• have an informed view on the role of businesses in society;
• appreciate the meaning of sustainability and how regulation can drive sustainable practices in businesses;
• be able to engage in a theoretically informed analysis of the reasons why businesses and individuals behave in an irresponsible or unethical manner;
• identify ESG (environment, social and governance) risks and challenges for businesses and appreciate how they might be addressed;
•  understand how ESG is measured;
• have developed the skills of ethical analysis and reflection necessary for the business and legal environment; and
• identify specific tools and strategies for implementing responsible business initiatives within businesses and law firms.

Module Content

This module explores the principles of responsible business and corporate social responsibility through the lens of ESG and Ethics. It focuses on topics such as: the purpose of business enterprises; the relationship between ethics and business; values and  responsible conduct; culture; the role of in-house legal counsel; sustainable regulation; sustainable finance; and ESG metrics and reporting.

There will be several guest lectures from experts and practitioners presenting the subject from the perspective of different stakeholders including managers, employees, in-house legal counsel, financiers, public-policy makers, regulators and the public.

Assessment

Reflective Learning Journal (60%) and Essay (40%)

Reassessment

As above

Pre requisites

Students who have already taken BUU22580 Business Ethics or BUU33590 Business in Society make NOT take this module

Module Website

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules 
https://tcd.blackboard.com/ 

Module Code  

LAU33031 

Module Name  

Privacy, Free Speech and The Democratic State  

ECTS weighting  

5 

Semester/term taught  

MT 

Contact Hours and  
Indicative Student  
Workload  

1.5 - 2 hours of lectures per week 

Module  
Coordinator/Owner  

Dr Roisin Costello 

Module Learning Outcomes with embedded Graduate Attributes  

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:  

• Understand the relationship between privacy and freedom of expression.  
• Understand the historical development of privacy law and its interaction with freedom of expression in the European Union and comparator jurisdictions.  
• Understand the role of freedom of expression and privacy in democratic governance and the resilience of democratic orders.  
• Critically analyse developments in the regulation of surveillance and expression in the European Union.  
• Identify how both state and non-state actors impact privacy, and freedom of expression, and the role of non-state actors in democratic processes.  
• Evaluate how surveillance of citizens, and their speech, interacts with other areas of human rights law and policy.  
• Communicate effectively about the ideas examined in class via an in-class presentations, and written assessments.  

Module Content  

The last decade has witnessed sustained attempts (in academic writing, in judicial decisions and in contemporary legislative and policy making activity) to reconcile the surveillance practices of states with citizens’ rights to privacy and freedom of expression. More recently, a similar attempt to reconcile these rights with the surveillance practices of non-state actors has also begun in earnest.  
This module examines the mutually supportive role of the rights to privacy and freedom of expression in cultivating democratic values, and fostering democratic resilience. It does so, in the first half of the module, by engaging in a historical analysis of how these rights emerged as part of a mutually defining exchange evidenced in court decisions and academic writings from the sixteenth century onwards. In particular, the module examines how this birth of modern privacy and freedom of expression was rooted in debates about democratic engagement, political critique and the need to limit state regulation of speech.  

The second half of the module turns to examine how this historical background framed the development of European Human rights to privacy and freedom of expression and, in particular, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, and the European Union’s development of modern secondary laws regulating speech – and protecting privacy. The module sets these developments in the context of the Union’s founding values of the rule of law, democracy and the protection and human rights and examines how the historical evolution of privacy and freedom of expression continue to inform how contemporary EU law understands the role of such rights in sustaining democratic governance, and society.  

This module seeks to prompt students not only to recognise the mutually supportive relationship between privacy and freedom of expression, but also to identify when freedom of expression and privacy are in conflict, to ask why such conflicts arise, whether and how they are justified, and what the impacts of both rights can be in sustaining fundamental values of democratic engagement, dignity and autonomy, and the rule of law on which much modern EU law is built.  

Recommended  
Reading List  

Some key monographs include (but are not limited to):  

• Neil Richards, Intellectual Privacy (OUP, 2015)  
• Soshanna Zuboff, Surveillance Capitalism (Profile books, 2019)  
• Khiara Bridges, The Poverty of Privacy Rights (Stanford University Press, 2017)  
• Sarah E Igo, The Known Citizen (Harvard University Press, 2018)  
• Helen Nissenbaum, Privacy in Context (Stanford University Press, 2009)  

Module Pre-requisite  

None 

Module Co Requisite  

None 

Teaching and Learning Methods (including details of supervision) 

Teaching and Learning will consist of weekly lecturers deliver to the students by the lecturer. Participation in class will be encouraged (but not assessed) by the lecturer covering key themes of each weekly topic.  

 Assessment Details 

In class presentation – 25% 
Essay – 75% 

Module Website  

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules  https://tcd.blackboard.com/   

 Academic Start Year  

2025-26 

Module Code  

LAU33191 

Module Name  

Workplace Democracy and the Law 

Module Short Title  

ECTS weighting  

5 

Semester/term taught  

MT 

Contact Hours and  
Indicative Student  
Workload  

1.5 - 2 hours of lectures per week 

Module  
Coordinator/Owner  

Dr Alan Eustace 

Module Learning Outcomes with embedded Graduate Attributes  

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:  

• Explain important elements of Irish industrial relations  
• Critically analyse how Irish law regulates trade unions and other forms of worker representation  
• Engage with theoretical approaches to the employment relationship and worker organisation and representation  
• Compare models of industrial relations across jurisdictions  
• Communicate research on industrial relations and the law  

Module Content  

This module examines how the law treats the means by which workers organise collectively and participate in decisions about their working conditions. It will appeal to anyone with an interest in the determination of working conditions, working-class political empowerment, and the relationship between governance of business enterprises and pursuit of social policy goals like income equality, economic security and accountability for environmental and social impacts.  
Students will engage with theories of the labour relationship, worker representation and workplace democracy to compare and critique legal regimes applying to trade unions, collective bargaining and other forms of worker empowerment. There will be a particular focus on Irish industrial relations within their European and transatlantic legal and economic contexts, but students will also have the opportunity to engage with workplace democratisation in emerging economies and the Global South. This will include examination of international law and human rights law on freedom of association, collective bargaining and strikes, and the operation of Irish, European and international organisations in the field of industrial relations.   

Recommended  
Reading List  

Sources used during this course include:  

• Bogg et al, Human Rights at Work (OUP 2024)  
• Dukes and Streeck, Democracy at Work (Polity 2023)  
• Cornell and Barenberg (eds), The Cambridge Handbook of Labour and Democracy (CUP 2022)  
• Forsyth, The Future of Unions and Worker Representation (Hart 2022)  
• Kelly and Tham (eds), Democracy, Social Justice and the Role of Trade Unions (Anthem 2021)   

Collins et al (eds), Philosophical Foundations of Labour Law (OUP 2018)  

Module Pre-requisite  

None 

Module Co Requisite  

None 

Teaching and Learning Methods (including details of supervision) 

Teaching and Learning will consist of weekly lecturers deliver to the students by the lecturer. Participation in class will be encouraged (but not assessed) by the lecturer covering key themes of each weekly topic.  

 Assessment Details 

Attendance – 5% 
Response Paper – 45% 
Essay – 50% 

Module Website  

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules  https://tcd.blackboard.com/   

 Academic Start Year  

2025-26 

Module Code  

LAU33032 

Module Name  

The Housing Crisis and the Law 

ECTS weighting  

5 

Semester/term taught  

HT 

Contact Hours and  
Indicative Student  
Workload  

1.5 - 2 hours of lectures per week 

Module  
Coordinator/Owner  

Dr Sarah Hamill 

Module Learning Outcomes with embedded Graduate Attributes  

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:  

• Understand the interaction between the law and the housing crisis.  
• Understand how the housing crisis manifests across a range of jurisdictions, housing type and individual experience.  
• Communicate effectively about the housing crisis and law via in-class discussion and written assessments.  
• Critically analyse law’s role in creating and addressing the housing crisis.  
• Evaluate different legal and policy responses to the housing crisis. 

Module Content  

Recent years have made clear that the housing crisis is not limited to one jurisdiction.  Yet the manifestations of the housing crisis are surprisingly similar across multiple countries and jurisdictions: rents and house prices are increasing beyond what is affordable for many, homelessness is on the increase, and even where people do have housing that housing fails to meet the requirements of adequate housing either due to the cost, structural defects, or lack of suitability more broadly. This module examines the law’s role in creating the housing crisis as well as the law’s role in addressing the crisis. The approach in this module is deliberately transnational, comparative and socio-legal and its scope is broad rather than deep.  The goal is to allow students to compare solutions both historic and contemporary across jurisdictions to assess what has and has not worked. A unifying theme across the topics explored in this module is the idea of a right to housing and how well (if at all) that right is protected.   
This module will examine homelessness, tenant rights, structural defects in housing, the regulation of multi-unit housing, how owner-occupation is structured, and the legal regulation of housing supply and use as exemplified by the regulation of short-term lets. The module will draw on material from legal scholars, sociologists, anthropologists, historians, and social policy scholars among others. The module will also draw on material from a range of jurisdictions including, Ireland, the UK, Canada, Australia, the US, South Africa, and the European Court of Human Rights. The module will also encourage students to reflect and draw on their own experiences of the housing crisis. 

Recommended  
Reading List  

There a number of monographs and resources on the housing crisis.  By way of indicative list see e.g.:  
Cathy Sherry, Strata Title Property Rights: Private governance of multi-owned properties (Routledge 2017).  
Jessie Hohmann, The Right to Housing: Law, Concepts, Possibilities (Hart 2013).  
David Cowan, Housing Law & Policy (CUP 2011).  
Lorna Fox O’Mahony, Conceptualising Home: Theories, Laws and Policies (Hart 2007).  
Michelle Norris, Property, Family and the Irish Welfare State (Palgrave Macmillan 2016).  
G Muller and S Viljoen, Property in Housing (Juta 2021).  
Rory Hearne, Housing Shock: The Irish Housing Crisis and How to Solve It (Policy Press 2020)   
Christoph U Schmid, Ways out of the European Housing Crisis: Tenure Innovation and Diversification in Comparative Perspective (Edward Elgar 2022).   
Eddie Lewis, Social Housing Policy in Ireland: New Directions (IPA 2019).  
Lorcan Sirr (ed), Housing in Ireland: Beyond the Markets (IPA 2021). 

Module Pre-requisite  

None 

Module Co Requisite  

None 

Teaching and Learning Methods (including details of supervision) 

Teaching and Learning will consist of weekly lecturers deliver to the students by the lecturer. Participation in class will be encouraged (but not assessed) by the lecturer covering key themes of each weekly topic.  

 Assessment Details 

Response paper (500-1000 words) – 20% 
Law reform proposal – 80% 

Module Website  

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules  https://tcd.blackboard.com/   

 Academic Start Year  

2025-26 

Module Code  

LAU33042 

Module Name  

Changing Constitutions: Irish and Global Perspectives  

ECTS weighting  

5 

Semester/term taught  

HT 

Contact Hours and  
Indicative Student  
Workload  

1.5 - 2 hours of lectures per week 

Module  
Coordinator/Owner  

Prof Rachael Walsh 

Module Learning Outcomes with embedded Graduate Attributes  

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:  

• Research legal materials effectively  
• Write coherently about constitutional change  
• Analyse instances of constitutional change  
• Evaluate instances of constitutional change  
• Present persuasive arguments on challenges/strengths of constitutional change processes  
• Work effectively as part of a team  

Module Content  

Constitutional change movements have captured the Irish public imagination in recent years, in particular in relation to same-sex marriage and abortion. This module explores the role that the Constitution has played in changing Ireland, both through referendum campaigns and through court cases, such as the 1970s decision that led to the legalisation of contraceptives. The module traces Ireland’s changing values in the 20th and 21st centuries, from questions of social/sexual morality and national identity to questions of governmental design and Ireland’s integration in Europe.  It also engages with high profile international example of constitutional change that are of significant comparative value, for example the Australian experience of constitutional change in respect of the rights of indigenous persons.   
The module begins with a comparative and theoretical introduction to constitutions and constitutional amendment rules. There follows an analysis of the patterns of constitutional change under the current Bunreacht na hÉireann. Finally, the module turns to compare Ireland’s experience of constitutional change with key international comparators.   
Among the topics that will then be considered are the following:  

• Popular movements for constitutional reform: same-sex marriage and abortion  
• Populism and referendums   
• Children’s rights  
• Challenges to traditional family and gender roles  
• Deliberative democracy and the Citizens’ Assembly model  
• The protection of socioeconomic rights  
• The right to housing  
• Environmental constitutional rights  
• The role of the courts in constitutional change  

Throughout the module, students will be introduced to fundamental legal concepts, institutions and reasoning processes, placed in their appropriate political and social context.  

Recommended  
Reading List  

The Constitution of Ireland 1937  
Oran Doyle, The Constitution of Ireland: A Contextual Analysis (Hart, 2018)  
Further online resources will be linked to on blackboard and a topic-specific reading lists for each section of the course will be provided in advance.  

Module Pre-requisite  

None 

Module Co Requisite  

None 

Teaching and Learning Methods (including details of supervision) 

Teaching and Learning will consist of weekly lecturers deliver to the students by the lecturer. Participation in class will be encouraged (but not assessed) by the lecturer covering key themes of each weekly topic.  

 Assessment Details 

Group Presentation – 30% 
Research Paper – 70% 

Module Website  

https://www.tcd.ie/law/programmes/undergraduate/modules  https://tcd.blackboard.com/   

 Academic Start Year  

2025-26