LAU12501 Constitutional Law

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.