A round-up of today's other law matters in brief
Technical directive seminar
A seminar on the EU's technical directive and its impact on Irish legislation and policy-making will take place all day next Friday February 20th. It is organised by Public Affairs Ireland Professional Development in association with the National Standards Authority of Ireland.
The technical directive is an important piece of European legislation that has direct and serious implications for Irish public officials involved in policy development and legislation.
This seminar is designed to facilitate public servants in the development of policy and legislation. It will be a fact- based seminar presented by representatives from the European Commission coming to Dublin specifically to speak at this event.
The seminar will be worth five CPD points. Those interested can register online at www.publicaffairsireland. com.
Civil Partnership Bill discussed
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties has just published The General Scheme of the Civil Partnership Bill: Legal Consequences and Human Rights Implications, the proceedings of a conference on the Bill that took place last July.
Among the contributors are Dr Fergus Ryan, head of law in DIT, Muriel Walls of McCann Fitzgerald solicitors and barrister Brian Barrington. It also contains a contribution from Dr Simone Wong of the law school of the University of Kent on the British perspective.
The short book is available from the ICCL, 9-13 Blackhall Place, Dublin 7.
Corruption study published
A Government-sponsored study on safeguards against corruption and the abuse of power in Ireland will be published by Transparency International Ireland on March 2nd.
The National Integrity System Study examines the risk of corruption and abuse of power in government, politics, business, civil society and the media. It also looks at the role these sectors have to play in promoting integrity in public life.
The study also makes some 40 recommendations to tackle a problem that contributed to the world financial crisis and is believed to be costing the economy here an additional €3 billion each year.
The study will be formally launched at 11am with a seminar entitled “If bad governance caused the financial crisis, what’s the cure?”
The panel of speakers includes Susan O’Keeffe, former World in Action reporter whose work led to the beef tribunal, Prof Brian Lucey, professor of finance at Trinity College Dublin, and John Devitt, chief executive, Transparency International Ireland.
The seminar will look at the role the abuse of power had to play in sowing the seeds of the financial crisis and what needs to be done to restore trust and confidence in our economic and political system.
Renewable energy considered
The Institute of International and European Affairs is hosting a lunchtime meeting of the energy and climate change working groups on the topic of the European Community for Renewable Energy (ERENE), on Wednesday at 12.45pm at its office in North Great George’s Street, Dublin.
The meeting will be addressed by Ralf Fuecks, president and co-founder of Germany’s Heinrich Böll Foundation.
Women lawyers child conference
The Irish Women Lawyers Association conference on the children’s amendment to the Constitution, taking place on February 28th, costs €60 for non-members, €30 for members and NGOs, and €20 for students and those with less than five years practice.