Minister Roderic O’Connor chairs panel at seminar hosted by UCD Centre for Constitutional Studies

Minister Roderic O’Connor chairs panel at seminar hosted by UCD Centre for Constitutional Studies

The UCD Centre for Constitutional Studies has organised several successful events under its professional development programme so far in 2023.

The year started with its 9th annual update on Irish Constitutional Law which took place in January with speakers Professor Eoin Carolan SC, Brian Foley SC, Dr Tom Hickey (DCU), Dr Sarah Fulham McQuillan and Associate Professor John O'Dowd.  Speakers looked at the key decisions on Irish constitutional law that were delivered by the courts in 2022.

Prof Eoin Carolan SC, Minister Roderic O’Gorman, Orla Keane and Prof Laurent Pech, UCD Dean of Law

In late April, the Centre organised an information event for legal and healthcare professionals to  coincide with the commencement of ‘The Assisted Decision-Making Capacity Act.  The Act marks the biggest change for decades in Ireland's legal framework for people with capacity issues and abolishes the current wards of court system.  The first panel of the day was hosted by Mr. Justice David Barniville, President of the High Court and the second by Mr. Roderic O’Gorman TD, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Guest speakers included Áine Hynes SC, St John Solicitors, Fiona McNulty, Mason Hayes & Curran, Aoife Mulligan BL and Orla Keane, General Counsel Mental Health Commission and the Decision Support Service.

This year, the Centre was honoured to welcome the following distinguished guests to chair panels through the day: Hon. Mr. Justice Collins, Supreme Court, Hon. Ms. Justice Butler, Court of Appeal, Hon. Mr. Justice O’Higgins, High Court, Hon. Ms. Justice Phelan, High Court, Mr Rossa Fanning SC, Attorney General and Ciarán Toland SC.  
The UCD Centre for Constitutional Studies was also grateful to the many speakers who delivered papers on the day: Denise Brett SC, Eoin Carolan SC and UCD, Sarah Cooney BL, Roisin Costello BL, April Duff BL, Emily Farrell SC, John Fitzgerald SC, Brian Foley SC, Finn Keyes BL, Ronan Lupton SC, Tony McGillicuddy SC, Aoife Mc Mahon BL, Aoiffe Moran from Mason Hayes & Curran, Aoife Mulligan BL, Professor Colm O’Cinneide of UCL, John O’Dowd from UCD,  Ailbhe O’Neill SC and TCD, Bernadette Quigley SC, Eltin Ryle of Matheson and Mark Rodgers BL.  

Those interested in attending future events can ensure that they receive advance information by emailing law.events@ucd.ie.