North’s Lady Chief Justice is IRLI co-patron
The North’s Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan has been appointed as the new co-patron of Irish Rule of Law International (IRLI).
The announcement was made at an IRLI event in Belfast earlier this week that focused on strengthening the rule of law.
Dame Keegan joins the Chief Justice Donal O’Donnell as co-patron. IRLI says that the partnership that reflects a “deep commitment” to legal co-operation across the island of Ireland.
In her remarks to the event, the Lady Chief Justice highlighted the serious challenges facing the rule of law globally.
Responsibility
“We see increasing threats to judicial independence, the erosion of legal safeguards and the marginalisation of vulnerable communities.
“In many places, lawyers and judges operate under immense pressure, sometimes at great personal risk. In such contexts, solidarity matters. The support of peers from other jurisdictions can be a lifeline, both practically and symbolically,” she stated.
Dame Keegan added that judges, lawyers, and legal professionals had a particular responsibility as stewards of the legal system, and guardians of justice and advocates for fairness.
“That responsibility seems to me does not end at our borders. It extends to those places where the rule of law is fragile, contested or under siege. Irish Rule of Law International gives us a platform to honour that responsibility,” she said.