Author: Eoin

Dr Eoin O'Dell is a Fellow and Associate Professor of Law at Trinity College Dublin.

So, farewell then, Norman French

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| Irish Law

The Taoiseach yesterday launched the Statute Law Revision Bill, 2007 in a speech in the beautiful surroundings of St Werburgh’s Church, Dublin 8, described by the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland as “a wonderful example of an early Georgian auditory church”. It was chosen by the Taoiseach for the announcement because, he said, it “is so closely connected with many of the historical events which led to … or arose from … the old laws we are now repealing”, though the fact that it made for a pretty photo-op can’t have hurt either.

There is much to be said in favour of this development, but the case must not be overstated. …

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The Shape of Things to Come?

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| Universities

Hot on the heels of last week’s reports that Irish university heads are seeking pay increases of up to 55%, today’s New York Times reports that At Universities, Plum Post at Top Is Now Shaky. Many of the reforms undertaken in the Irish university sector have been controversial, but we have not yet reached the situation in the NYT report, where several university heads have been ousted. Is this the shape of things to come, if not in Ireland where the sector seems to be coming to terms with the reforms, then perhaps in England: in Oxford, just before Christmas, similar reform plans were defeated, though the Vice Chancellor remains in place, at least for now.…

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Privacy Princess?

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| Privacy

The front page of today’s Times reports speculation that the royal family’s lawyers are preparing a privacy test case to prevent paparazzi harassment of Prince William’s girlfriend, Kate Middleton. No doubt, they have been emboldened by the decision of the Court of Appeal before Christmas that Prince Charles was entitled to assert that his private diaries about the handover of Hong Kong were confidential and protected by copyright. Of course, they will look at the full spectrum of available remedies, but the strategy most likely to be successful will be to build upon recent privacy decisions.

Last Saturday’s Irish Independent carries a story which gives a flavour of what this action is designed to prevent. …

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Because they’re worth it, again

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| Universities

Three pieces in today’s Irish Times relate to the state of higher education in Ireland today. Superficially, they all seem positive: the government is giving the sector more money; a consultant sets out a vision for the sector’s future; and the South East calls for a university. In other words, the univerities, their heads, and the South East, are all asking for something on the grounds that they are worth it.

Look more closely, however, and the three stories betray a malaise at the heart of Irish higher education. …

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Because they’re worth it

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| Universities

According to reports in the Irish Times and Irish Independent (here and here), a submission from the Irish University Association to the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector argues for a salary increase of up to 55 per cent for the seven heads of Ireland’s universities on the basis that they now face considerably greater complexity and accountability than heretofore in a global, highly competitive market. In fact, another article in today’s Irish Independent provides an intriguing vignette of how competitive the business of attracting students has become. The presidents’ jobs may indeed have got harder (they are certainly doing more, and more controversial things (see Sean Barrett and Tom Collins)). However, the jobs of all us at every level right across the sector have become that much harder. If they’re worth it, so are we.

Update 16 January 2007: Ed Walsh has weighed in on the side of the Presidents; John Walshe reports in the Irish Independent that the IUA has made a similar case to the Review Body on behalf of professors; and Sean Barrett has sounded a loud counterblast in favour of a pay boost for lecturers rather than presidents.…

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Pre-nuptial agreements: time for clarity?

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| Contract, Irish Law, Irish Society

The Minister for Justice has announced the membership of Pre-nuptial Study Group, whose terms of reference will be

to study and report on the operation of the law since the introduction of divorce in 1996 with respect to pre-nuptial agreements taking into account constitutional requirements.

Quite frankly, the law in this area is seriously in need of reform. …

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All I want for Christmas …

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| Irish Law, Universities

… is a new Law School, a new Law School, a new Law School etc.

UCD Law School Congratulations to the School of Law, UCD, who have just announced that Peter Sutherland has made a sizeable and generous donation of €4m to UCD to help fund a new Law School in UCD (to replace the rather pretty, if not very efficient, buidling in the photo; see Irish Indpendent | Irish Times). Congratulations to them. Any other benefactors seeking to endow a Law School might like to consider Trinity … Come to think of it, Christmas is coming; perhas Santa might take the view that we’ve good this year. Well, maybe next year.

Update: 8 January 2007: The formal UCD press release on the announcement has just been published.…

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I knew this was a good idea!

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| Law

Last April, the Berkman Centre for Internet and Society, Harvard Law School hosted a Symposium on Bloggership: How Blogs Are Transforming Legal Scholarship. The event was podcast at the time; and the papers were made available on the Social Science Research Network (SSRN). Now comes the news that the symposium will be published on dead trees by the Washington University Law Review. Paul Caron, of Law Professor Blogs fame, who organised the symposium, has just posted an update of his introductory paper from the symposium on SSRN to appear to appear in vol 84 of the Washington University Law Review early next year. Thanks for all of that, Paul. It provides me with just the kind of justification I need to keep going with this blog. As I say in the title, I knew this was a good idea.…

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