Do we want citizens arresting one another for incitement to hatred?
In 1997, the Oireachtas enacted a far-reaching statute to codify and reform the criminal law, much of which was based on judge-made common law stretching back over the centuries. The statute was entitled the Criminal Law Act, 1997. One thing done in that Act was to abolish the ancient legal distinctions between what were termed felonies […]
Clarity needed on definitions of gender in new hate speech Bill
Various recent statutes and proposed Bills make reference to the need to ensure that there will be equal numbers of men and women in the composition of various statutory bodies appointed by the State. Indeed, the law relating to funding of political parties penalises parties which do not field slates of candidates containing minimum quotas of males […]
Ukraine’s counteroffensive cannot fail. Putin must be heavily defeated
If the Ukrainian counter-offensive bogs down in a slow-moving ground campaign aimed at retaking one semi-abandoned village after another, there will be very serious consequences not only for Ukraine but also for the NATO member states and for the wider western world. If by the end of the summer or early autumn this year there […]
Nobody is thinking about the aesthetics of our cities
Some friends in the property business are privately stating that the supply of newly built office space in Dublin has reached the point of market saturation. Even allowing for large firms’ preference for up-to-the-minute standards in climate-friendly office accommodation, it seem that the change in work practices, including work from home, four-day weeks, open-plan layouts […]
Asylum conventions are outdated and in urgent need of a rethink
The results of a Red C poll published in the Business Post at the weekend probably spoiled breakfast for many ministers and their advisors. Apart completely from the poor showing in terms of political support for the Coalition parties, the poll dealt with issues relating to asylum seeking, refugee accommodation, and location of accommodation centres […]
The Northern Ireland elections saw no seismic shift
The impression created by the majority of the media is that the local elections in the North show dramatic change. But change from what? In the 2022 Assembly elections (where turnout was 62%), Sinn Féin got 30% of the seats with just over 29% of the first preference ) votes. In last week’s local elections […]