Legally Fond

In this week’s episode of Legally Fond, the team discuss Rockall – a small, uninhabited islet in the north Atlantic but the subject of much dispute and disagreement. Pierce, Gavin, and Alex explain the legal confusion surrounding the rightful ownership of Rockall, touching on international Maritime Law and the positions of the EU and UN on the matter. Does Rockall belong to Iceland, Ireland, Denmark, or the United Kingdom? Which nations can harvest its fish-rich waters? How does Rockall fit into the European Common Fisheries Policy and has the UK’s Brexit deal shone any light on who can lay claim to Rockall? This episode answers these questions.

In the flagship episode of season three, we discuss the seminal Supreme Court decision in the recent environmental case ‘Friends of the Irish Environment v Government of Ireland’. We explain why the government’s climate action plan was struck down and explore what this means for Ireland’s fight against climate change. With the coalition government facing ever increasing pressure to tackle climate change in Ireland, how does this judgment affect Ireland’s plan to be carbon neutral by 2050?

In March 2019, Sunday Times Journalist Mark Tighe returned to his desk and found two documents waiting for him. One was a photocopy of a cheque made out to the FAI by its then Chief Executive John Delaney for €100,000. The other was a confirmation from the FAI that John Delaney had been repaid €100,000. What was this about, thought Mark. Why was an organisation which received €50 million in taxpayers' funding over the past decade in need of a loan from its Chief Executive? This was the catalyst for a series of events which culminated in Delaney leaving the FAI and the organisation requiring a state bailout of nearly €20 million. But mere hours before the Sunday Times was going to print with the story, Delaney went to the High Court seeking an injunction against the newspaper publishing it. Find out why in this episode of Legally Fond, when Gavin speaks to Tighe about this legal skirmish. The story is chronicled in Champagne Football, a book written by Mark which we would highly recommend, even for those who are not soccer fans.

Legally Fond is returning for a third season, starting on Wednesday 24th February.

You’ll hear about how one of the biggest names in Irish football took on The Sunday Times in court to stop it publishing a story about him only hours before the paper was set to be printed.

And we’re teaming up with Trinity College Students’ Union for Green Week and we’ll tell you the story of the a group of climate activists who stopped the government’s climate action plan.

We cannot wait for you to join us for Season Three of LF, in association with LawSchool.ie. Starting Wednesday 24th February.

Earlier this year, the General Court of the European Union found against the European Commission in the so-called 'Apple tax case'. This meant that the Commission was unable to prove to the required standard that the Irish government had given Apple illegal state aid in order to reduce its tax bill. The result is that Ireland is not entitled to the €13 billion which the Commission decided it should receive from Apple. How did this case come about? We discuss in the Season Two finale of Legally Fond.

This episode is brought to you in association with LawSchool.ie. LawSchool.ie is Ireland’s leading provider of tuition for the FE1 or King’s Inns Entrance exams. Each course is delivered live online with a specific exam focus and supported by the latest manuals. Shorter pre-recorded workshops are also available. Courses commence June and November. Register anytime at LawSchool.ie. For a 10% discount on any course, use the discount code 'legallyfond'.

Although many consider the Irish Presidency a largely ceremonial role, one significant constitutional power which the President has is the right to refer bills to the Supreme Court to check their constitutionality before they are made law. One such case considered whether a law requiring property developers to sell up to 20% of their new houses to the state for use as social housing. We discussed the merits of this case and the pitfalls of letting the President get involved.

This episode is brought to you in association with LawSchool.ie. LawSchool.ie is Ireland’s leading provider of tuition for the FE1 or King’s Inns Entrance exams. Each course is delivered live online with a specific exam focus and supported by the latest manuals. Shorter pre-recorded workshops are also available. Courses commence June and November. Register anytime at LawSchool.ie. For a 10% discount on any course, use the discount code 'legallyfond'.

It is an oddity of Irish politics that in 2001, when nearly 53% of voters opted to reject the EU's Nice Treaty, the Irish Government tried a 'second time lucky' approach, holding a second referendum on the same question. It passed, with 62% in favour. The same series of events occurred with the Lisbon Treaty later in the decade. Why is it that Ireland was the only member state of the EU which had to vote by referendum on the Nice and Lisbon Treaties? We discuss the case which led to this constitutional requirement, Ireland's relationship with the EU and the value of holding such votes.

This episode is brought to you in association with LawSchool.ie. LawSchool.ie is Ireland’s leading provider of tuition for the FE1 or King’s Inns Entrance exams. Each course is delivered live online with a specific exam focus and supported by the latest manuals. Shorter pre-recorded workshops are also available. Courses commence June and November. Register anytime at LawSchool.ie. For a 10% discount on any course, use the discount code 'legallyfond'.

A week on from Chief Justice Frank Clarke's publication of his correspondence with Seamus Woulfe, we discuss what has happened since and what might happen next. Also, could this saga lead to the reform of judicial appointments?

This episode is brought to you in association with LawSchool.ie. LawSchool.ie is Ireland’s leading provider of tuition for the FE1 or King’s Inns Entrance exams. Each course is delivered live online with a specific exam focus and supported by the latest manuals. Shorter pre-recorded workshops are also available. Courses commence June and November. Register anytime at LawSchool.ie. For a 10% discount on any course, use the discount code 'legallyfond'.

Artificial intelligence is revolutionising how we do business. With its countless opportunities, it also presents risks. To what extent will we be delegating our decision making to computers and robots? Do we trust them to make accurate decisions? And who will be responsible if AI discriminates or makes an unfair decision? Paul MacDonnell from the Global Digital Foundation discusses a recent paper he published on the regulation of artificial intelligence.

This episode is brought to you in association with LawSchool.ie. LawSchool.ie is Ireland’s leading provider of tuition for the FE1 or King’s Inns Entrance exams. Each course is delivered live online with a specific exam focus and supported by the latest manuals. Shorter pre-recorded workshops are also available. Courses commence June and November. Register anytime at LawSchool.ie. For a 10% discount on any course, use the discount code 'legallyfond'.

The controversy trundles on over the attendance of Supreme Court Justice Seamus Woulfe's attendance at the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner in August. Last Sunday, the Chief Justice Frank Clarke sent a letter to Woulfe, who has not yet sat on the court, asking him to resign. We chronicle the events which led up to this moment and ponder the uncertain political and legal horizon.

This episode is brought to you in association with LawSchool.ie. LawSchool.ie is Ireland’s leading provider of tuition for the FE1 or King’s Inns Entrance exams. Each course is delivered live online with a specific exam focus and supported by the latest manuals. Shorter pre-recorded workshops are also available. Courses commence June and November. Register anytime at LawSchool.ie. For a 10% discount on any course, use the discount code 'legallyfond'.