The power of vested interests & the law

The power of vested interests & the law

Friday, April 29th to Sunday, May 1st 2016

Directed by: John Fingleton

Is the law as enacted by politicians and adjudicated by judges and regulators adequate to the task of ensuring that the common good prevails over vested interests in these turbulent times? This is the theme that will be examined by a distinguished line-up of speakers from the judiciary, the academy and the arts at this year’s Burren Law School that takes places over the May bank holiday week-end in Ballyvaughan, Co Clare. The School will feature the time-honoured Brehon and arts perspectives on the theme which make the Burren Law School an unique event in the Irish calendar.

Brexit, mass migration and Donald Trump in the Whitehouse are just some of the spectres confronting contemporary western civilisation as vested interests and whole societies feel threatened as never before by the chill winds of global competition, creative technological destruction and mass migration challenging the established order. Those who are economically and politically powerful or well organised have a habit of fiercely protecting their prerogatives – monopolists versus new entrants, citizens versus migrants, trade-unionists versus the unemployed, the elderly versus the young. Are the sophisticated judicial and regulatory mechanism we have put in place really a match for the power of vested interests?

Does judicial review and consultation really mean that the public interest is best served? When can they make things worse? Are there better solutions that we can try? Does the increasing use of social media change things? And to what extent does all of this lead to a lack of confidence in our decision-making institutions and processes, and the rise of populism and nationalism?

 

Conference Programme

Friday 3rd May 2019

18:45 Registration and reception

A plate of food for the traveller

20:00 Official launch of the 2019 school

Introduction to the weekend

A brief Brehon Welcome in Newtown Castle

20:15 Opening session

Saturday 4th May 2019

7:30 Michael Greene Morning Walk
9:30 The Ó Corráin Memorial Lecture - the Brehon perspective

10:15 The Binchy Memorial lecture

“Preparing for the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Supreme Court in June 2024: A review of the recent literature concerning the achievements of that Court the last 95 years of its existence”

11:00 Coffee break
11:30 Session 1 - Human rights and Brexit


13:00 Lunch

Food of the Arts Cafe

14:00 Session 2 - Northern Ireland

15:30 Fieldtrip by coach
20:00 Conference dinner

Sunday 5th May 2019

11:00 Coffee break
11:30 Session 3 - Democracy: future political challenges

13:00 Concluding remarks and celebratory Burren finale

 

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Burren Law School, Newtown Castle, Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare, Ireland.
+353 65 7077200

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