Legal responses to threats to democracy
The Centre for Justice and Law Reform at the Law Society is to host a two-day summer school this week, examining legal mechanisms to safeguard democracy against emerging challenges.
‘Defending Democracy: Legal Responses to Emerging Threats’ will take place at Blackhall Place on Thursday and Friday, 26 and 27 June.
Among the speakers is the former CIA Director John Brennan, who has been highly critical of US President Donald Trump.
Speakers on Thursday afternoon will include Patrick Geoghegan (Professor in Modern History, Director of the Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute), who will discuss lessons from history for defending democracy.
Michael McGrath (EU Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection) will address the event on ‘Safeguarding democracy and the rule of law’, while Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill will speak on ‘Protecting democratic representation’.
The conference will also hear from Robin Simcox (UK Commissioner for Countering Extremism) on ‘Counter extremism and free speech: a binary choice?’
Electoral law in the digital age
Also on Thursday, Mediahuis Ireland’s legal-affairs editor Shane Phelan will chair a panel discussion on electoral law in the digital age.
The panellists will feature:
- Ms Justice Marie Baker (Chair of An Coimisiún Toghcháin/The Electoral Commission and former Supreme Court judge),
- Professor Jane Suiter (Director of DCU’s Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society), and
- Alex White SC (Director General of the Institute of International and European Affairs).
Thursday will conclude (7pm to 10.30pm) with a conversation between John Brennan and former journalist and broadcaster Conor Brophy (Managing Director of Teneo).
Countering extremism
Speakers on Friday morning include Attorney General Rossa Fanning SC and international human-rights lawyer Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, while Professor Alexander Baturo (Associate Professor in Political Science at DCU School of Law and Government) will discuss what data science can reveal about dictatorships.
There will be two additional panel discussions on Friday, with the first looking at how to counter the rise of extremism. Chaired by former Twitter executive Sinéad McSweeney (board member of An Garda Síochána), the panellists will be:
- John Brennan,
- Niamh Hodnett (Online Safety Commissioner at Coimisiún na Meán), and
- Mike Sheridan (documentary film maker and freelance journalist).
Public protest
The second panel discussion, on public protests and civil disobedience in democratic societies, will be chaired by former Director of Public Prosecutions Claire Loftus (board member, An Garda Síochána, and Cuan). The speakers will include:
- Nóirín O’Sullivan (former Garda Commissioner),
- Eamon Gilmore (former EU special representative for human rights and former Tánaiste),
- Joe O’Brien (executive director, Irish Council for Civil Liberties), and
- Prof Freya Baetens (Professor of Public International Law at the University of Oxford and research director of the Oxford Human Rights Hub).
The event will start at 12.20pm on Thursday and will run from 9am to 12.30pm on Friday.
More information about the Summer School is available on the Law Society website.