The Irish ePassport
We have commented previously on the ePassport and its lack of security. See the attached opinion of the EU Article 29 Data Protection Working Party on RFID tags in passports and its recommendations for steps to precede the introduction of the chipped passports. We cannot see that Ireland took any notice of the Working Party’s recommendations, not to speak of, inter alia, the concerns of Civil Liberties groups in the USA and Canada. For example, what State agencies, besides the […]
Personal Injury Claims – Part 1
What do people mean when they refer to âPersonal Injuryâ? claims? It is, firstly and obviously, a reference to the consequences of an event; somebody has been injured. In addition, following the injury there is an allegation that somebody else has caused the injury and is answerable in law for that. Its current major significance is the consideration of the claim as an administrative problem. It also expresses a particular view of the âproblemâ?; administratively, the problem could be the […]
Refute this!
This is a very risky posting. Itâs about words, and how we use them. The subject word is ârefuteâ?. This is a word which politicians and lawyers (or policemen; Sir Ronnie Flanagan being the latest) have use for, but it is its misuse that is the focus of attention. It is sometimes used as a substitute or synonym for âdenyâ? or âcontradictâ?. I contend that this misuse is not accidental. It is chosen because at some level of consciousness the […]
Sub Judice
The Irish Times reports on 20th January 2007 that the High Court is hearing an appeal from the Circuit Court where the Plaintiff was successful against a provincial newspaper for breach of privacy. Apparently the Plaintiff was photographed while playing gaelic football and his genitals were visible in the photograph, which the newspaper published. The Plaintiff had also pleaded defamation but abandoned that claim in the Circuit court. The appeal is current and final submissions from the newspaper are expected […]
Are Political Videos on YouTube Subject to Irish Regulation?
The question has been raised as to whether political videos available for view on sites such as YouTube are governed by the same regulations as pertain to the familiar broadcast media. A good starting point to examine this question would be to investigate what are the sources of the regulation which currently apply to broadcasters in Ireland in relation to political messages. Section 18 of the Broadcasting Authority Act 1960, as amended by section 3 of the broadcasting Authority (Amendment) […]
Cleanliness & Godliness
The Mater Hospital in Dublin is one of the cityâs major hospitals. It is the designated site for the new âworld classâ? childrenâs hospital [and an adult hospital adjoining]. It has apologised to a former patient who stayed in the hospital last May. It apologised for âany incidents of sub-standard hygieneâ? she may have experienced. Her experience was: a) The hospital was filthy; b) There was urine on the floor of the toilets; c) Excrement was stuck to the sides […]
Wringing and Washing of hands
The Minister for Health and Children is anxious that the Health Executive should achieve a reduction in nosocomial infections in Irish hospitals in the immediate future. The principle infection in mind (although not the most difficult) is MRSA. What’s the solution? Hand washing. (Hygiene actually). The methods of ensuring compliance with hand washing protocols will probably vary from place to place but the job is not impossible. In any event, employees of hospitals are entitled in law to safe places […]
A POLICEMAN’S LOT
It is going to get tougher to be a senior police officer. According to the Irish Times of 13th January 2007, the Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform, and the Garda Commissioner, are pondering the feasibility of making âpolice chiefsâ? (the Commissioner?) accountable for crime statistics “in their ⦠area”. Any ambiguity in the report, and all the questions possibly begged by the idea aside, there is help at hand for the officers concerned. Firstly, do not put your […]
Digital Rights Ireland
THE HIGH COURT 2006 No. 3785P Between DIGITAL RIGHTS IRELAND LIMITED Plaintiff And THE MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS, MARINE AND NATURAL RESOURCES, THE MINISTER FOR JUSTICE, EQUALITY AND LAW REFORM, THE COMMISSIONER FOR THE GARDA SIOCHANA, IRELAND AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL Defendants NOTICE OF MOTION TAKE NOTICE that on the 19TH day of FEBRUARY 2007, at the hour of 10.30 a.m. in the forenoon or at the first available opportunity thereafter Counsel on behalf of the Plaintiff herein will apply to […]
The Children’s Hospital
Crumlin Childrenâs Hospital has declined to transfer to the proposed site for the new âworld classâ? childrenâs hospital at the Mater Hospital on the North Circular Road in Dublin 7. The reason for this refusal is that the site is inadequate for the project. If the site is inadequate, there will be deficiencies in the infrastructure for the new hospital. Without proper infrastructure (assuming the staff continue working in such circumstances) the task of delivering proper care to the patients […]