Donncha O’Connell
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donnchalaw.bsky.social
Donncha O’Connell
@donnchalaw.bsky.social
1K followers 910 following 960 posts
Law academic living in the west of Ireland. Interested in law, politics, history, theatre, music, books, art, people and dogs…not in that order.
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Reposted by Donncha O’Connell
bmhughes.bsky.social
Well, now, look what arrived in the post...

Delighted to share that my new book on psychology and the culture wars has now been published.

Writing it was a long, at times depressing, but ultimately satisfying journey for me. I hope you like it

Deets here: link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
Book in my hand, with title "PSYCHOLOGY’S QUIET CONSERVATISM: How a Supposedly Woke Science Promotes Capitalism and Protects Privilege" and author name "Brian M. Hughes" (me)
November 5, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Reposted by Donncha O’Connell
tjmcintyre.com
The joint submission of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and Digital Rights Ireland on the proposed National Cyber Security Bill is now up on the ICCL website:
National Cyber Security Bill raises mass surveillance and internet death penalty concerns as proposed powers exceed EU directive (NIS2)
Digital Rights Ireland and ICCL will address the Oireachtas Justice Committee to raise concerns about the National Cyber Security Bill 2024.
www.iccl.ie
November 26, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Reposted by Donncha O’Connell
irishtimes.com
Lorcan Sirr: Judicial reviews are not the problem – and deregulation is no answer
Lorcan Sirr: Judicial reviews are not the problem – and deregulation is no answer
We have seen before how cutting ‘red tape’ leads to disaster, especially in planning and housing
www.irishtimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:05 AM
donnchalaw.bsky.social
Kathy Sheridan: Where is the kindness when we talk about trans people?

www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...
Kathy Sheridan: Where is the kindness when we talk about trans people?
Number of trans people in Irish society is tiny – and each one is a human being
www.irishtimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:22 AM
donnchalaw.bsky.social
UK jury trials could be scrapped except in most serious cases

www.bbc.com/news/article...
Jury trials could be scrapped except in most serious cases
Only cases of alleged murder, rape or manslaughter will be decided by a jury under new proposals to cut court backlogs.
www.bbc.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:00 PM
donnchalaw.bsky.social
What a touching tribute to David Hanly, RIP…
November 25, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Reposted by Donncha O’Connell
irishlegal.com
Irish government plans to follow the UK in making it harder for refugees to secure permanent settlement are “deeply alarming”, the Irish Refugee Council has said.
Irish asylum plans ‘will undermine refugee integration’
Irish government plans to follow the UK in making it harder for refugees to secure permanent settlement are “deeply alarming”, the Irish Refugee Council has said.
www.irishlegal.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Reposted by Donncha O’Connell
trasinscneach.bsky.social
Here's the article without the echo chamber/paywall lock:

archive.is/2025.11.24-0...
November 24, 2025 at 8:53 AM
donnchalaw.bsky.social
Excellent piece by my colleague, Professor Ciara Smyth:

The real migration crisis is not the one you’ve been hearing about – The Irish Times

www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...
Opinion: The real migration crisis is not the one you’ve been hearing about
‘Politics of affect’ stokes anxieties about immigration, allowing Government to then respond
www.irishtimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:22 AM
donnchalaw.bsky.social
Sad news from Galway:

Tributes to ‘mad, bad and dangerous’ peace activist and artist Margaretta D’Arcy who has died aged 91

www.independent.ie/irish-news/t...
Tributes to ‘mad, bad and dangerous’ peace activist and artist Margaretta D’Arcy who has died aged 91
Tributes have been paid in Galway to artist, Aosdána member and peace activist Margaretta D’Arcy, who died on Sunday at the age of 91.
www.independent.ie
November 23, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Reposted by Donncha O’Connell
oisinmcgann.bsky.social
This is an insane abuse of power. The United States acting against a European judge to protect their genocidal protégé in the Middle East, and Europe is doing nothing anout it.

www.thenational.scot/news/2563997...
ICC judge says sanctions from Donald Trump 'affect every aspect of my life'
AN international judge who was sanctioned by Donald Trump for approving arrest warrants for Israeli leaders has described how the punishment affects…
www.thenational.scot
November 22, 2025 at 12:47 PM
donnchalaw.bsky.social
Excellent piece by Andrew Jackson, UCD Law School:

On Environmental Democracy and the Collisons’ “Abundance-Verse”

elajucd.com/2025/11/21/o...
On Environmental Democracy and the Collisons’ “Abundance-Verse”
Andrew Jackson 21 November 2025 I. Introduction A clamour of praise greeted John Collison’s “how to get Ireland moving” Op-Ed following its publication in the Irish Times on 25th October: the Irish…
elajucd.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Reposted by Donncha O’Connell
irishlegal.com
Plans to train judges in AI and digitalisation have been set out by the European Commission.
EU launches five-year justice strategy on AI and digitalisation
Plans to train judges in AI and digitalisation have been set out by the European Commission.
www.irishlegal.com
November 21, 2025 at 12:50 PM
donnchalaw.bsky.social
Ireland has formally launched its campaign for membership of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) for 2027-29

www.irishlegal.com/articles/ire...
Ireland continues UN Human Rights Council membership campaign
Ireland has formally launched its campaign for membership of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) for 2027-29. Yesterday's launch event in New York comes after the government set out its "thematic priori...
www.irishlegal.com
November 21, 2025 at 1:23 PM
donnchalaw.bsky.social
Tom O’Connell’s first novel, Lichtenberg, which is set in the future, reflects contemporary events as it explores what happens in a totalitarian world where lies and hatred dominate…

connachttribune.ie/tom-offers-m...
Tom offers message of hope in debut novel - Connacht Tribune - Galway City Tribune
Tom offers message of hope in debut novel
connachttribune.ie
November 20, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Reposted by Donncha O’Connell
irishtimes.com
Government should sign defamation bill into law ‘without further delay’, Press Council says
Government should sign defamation bill into law ‘without further delay’, Press Council says
Annual report shows the number of complaints received by the Press Council was unchanged from 2023 at 305
www.irishtimes.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Reposted by Donncha O’Connell
seanrainford.bsky.social
In this forthcoming comparative paper, I argue that India's basic structure doctrine and the finality of referendums in Ireland both play an equivalent constitutional role of taking 'final say sovereignty' away from politicians.
Pre-publication draft: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Pre-publication draft, forthcoming in International Journal of Constitutional Law Constitutional Amendment and the Final Say in Ireland and India Seán Rainford Irish and Indian approaches to constitutional amendment would appear to be chalk and cheese: Irish courts insist that the people have an unfettered right to amend tbe Constitution through referendum in any way they wish; Indian courts have beld since 1973 that Parliament cannot amend the Constitution's 'basic structure'. They thus occupy opposite poles in the form, scope, and judicial oversight of constitutional amendment pomers. However, this paper argues that when the historical context of each amendment regime is understood, a functional equivalence can be observed between the finality of referendum results in Ireland and the Indian basic structure doctrine. Before these arrangements, 'final say sovereignty' - the position of unaccountability or finality within a constitution - was held by each country's parliament and often used for authoritarian ends. The finality of the referendum in Ireland and the Indian judiciary's basic structure review power both deny parliament final say sovereignty by bolding this power themselves; in both cases, the transference of this kind of sovereignty proved decisive for consolidating law-bound government. However, the essential diferences between a referendum process and a judicial power to review amendments cannot be overlooked, and these create distinct approaches to constitutional identity. The effects of final say sovereignty for a constitution will be different depending on who wields it.
November 19, 2025 at 10:17 AM
donnchalaw.bsky.social
Excellent letter in The Irish Times about proposed new restrictions on judicial review and access to justice…
November 19, 2025 at 7:31 AM
donnchalaw.bsky.social
Couple with intellectual disabilities will be able to marry following judge’s decision

www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/co...
Couple with intellectual disabilities will be able to marry following judge’s decision
Residential care centre sought a declaration that one of its residents lacked the capacity to consent to marriage
www.irishtimes.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:07 PM
donnchalaw.bsky.social
Cás láidir déanta ag Eoin Ó Nuanáin, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, agus é ina bhuaiteoir ar Bhréagchúirt Uí Dhálaigh

Dhá fhoireann ó Ollscoil na Gaillimhe a bhí in aghaidh a chéile i gcraobhchomóras Bréagchúirt Uí Dhálaigh le déanaí. Bhí an lá le Eoin Ó Nuanáin

tuairisc.ie/gailearai-ca...
GAILEARAÍ: Cás láidir déanta ag Eoin Ó Nuanáin, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, agus é ina bhuaiteoir ar Bhréagchúirt Uí Dhálaigh
Dhá fhoireann ó Ollscoil na Gaillimhe a bhí in aghaidh a chéile i gcraobhchomóras Bréagchúirt Uí Dhálaigh le déanaí. Bhí an lá le Eoin Ó Nuanáin. Pictiúir: Seán Ó Mainnín
tuairisc.ie
November 18, 2025 at 6:32 AM
donnchalaw.bsky.social
Councillors win key High Court concession against government plan for smaller apartment sizes

www.thejournal.ie/apartments-c...
Councillors win key High Court concession against government plan for smaller apartment sizes
Under the Housing Minister’s plans, some of the biggest cost savings for each apartment will be found by cutting down on floor space.
www.thejournal.ie
November 17, 2025 at 1:55 PM
donnchalaw.bsky.social
Civil legal aid review failed to see scheme as a tool for social change, @uniofgalwaylaw.bsky.social conference on ‘Public Interest Litigation & Access to Justice told. Moves to restrict access to judicial review also criticised.

www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/20...
Civil legal aid review failed to see scheme as a tool for social change, conference told
Moves to restrict access to judicial review criticised
www.irishtimes.com
November 16, 2025 at 8:55 PM
donnchalaw.bsky.social
Noel Dorr: ‘To understand the Troubles, you must go back much further’

Forty years after the Anglo-Irish Agreement, the former diplomat still sees Sunningdale as the peace deal that got way

www.irishtimes.com/life-style/p...
Noel Dorr: ‘To understand the Troubles, you must go back much further’
Forty years after the Anglo-Irish Agreement, the former diplomat still sees Sunningdale as the peace deal that got way
www.irishtimes.com
November 16, 2025 at 6:16 PM
donnchalaw.bsky.social
Day 2 of our @uniofgalwaylaw.bsky.social conference on Public Interest Litigation & Access to Justice focusing on practitioner and litigant perspectives chaired by Mr Justice Cian Ferriter of the High Court with two stellar panels of speakers
November 15, 2025 at 9:45 AM
donnchalaw.bsky.social
Police and crime commissioners to be abolished in England and Wales

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Police and crime commissioners to be abolished
Home secretary says PCCs, in England and Wales, were ‘failed experiment’ – and scrapping them will save £100m over this parliament
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 7:03 AM