News & Events

10/12/2011 - Whoop it up for Liberty!

The Human Rights in Ireland blog hosted a performance in Druid Theatre this Saturday at 6pm to celebrate International Human Rights Day. The event was called Whoop it up for Liberty! (an ironic quote from Connolly) and featured readings of texts which celebrate and commemorated Irish experiences of human rights, and indeed, violations of rights.

The concept for the performance was loosely based on The People Speak – a documentary made by high profile actors reading excerpts from Howard Zinn’s The People’s History of the United States. Whoop it up for Liberty! was an exciting collaboration between actors, community activists, local people and the authors of the Human Rights in Ireland blog. The performance featured first person narratives which highlight the experiences of workers, women, people with disabilities, travellers, language rights activists, asylum seekers, children, prisoners and many others as they relate to human rights in Ireland – from historical perspectives right through to the present day. 

For more information about the event, click here.

02/12/2011 - Disability studies association of ireland proposed at international day of persons with disabilities celebration

The NUIG Centre for Disability Law at Policy together with UCD Centre for Disability Studies, TCD National Institute for Intellectual Disability and University of Ulster held an event celebrating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on the 2nd of December 2011 in TCD. Prestigious speakers such as Anna Lawson, Professor Patricia Noonan Walsh, Professor Gerard Quinn and Eithne Fitzgerald spoke at the event which was chaired by Martin Naughton.

Professor Quinn discussed the proposal of an inclusive and inter-disciplinary Disability Studies of Ireland and presented a memo which explores options for the establishment of this Disability Studies Association in Ireland or a similar body (North and South). The memo mentioned can be found here.

The founding partners (TCD NIID, UCD Centre for Disability Studies, the University of Ulster and NUI Galway Centre for Disability Law & Policy) will host a follow-through meeting of all institutions and individuals interested to be held in UCD on 12 March next. For further information contact roisin.fitzpatricknuigalway.ie or any of the four founding centres.  

19/11/2011 - Genetic Discrimination - Transatlantic Perspectives on the case for a European Level Legal Response conference

The purpose of this conference was to examine the case for a European level legal and policy response to protect the privacy of genetic information and to prevent genetic discrimination, particularly in the employment and insurance contexts.  The conference was attended by legal practitioners, medical practitioners, academics, researchers, NGOs and those involved in disability issues, bioethics and practice.  It was aimed at those interested in medical testing generally as well as genetic testing specifically as well as the implications of these practices. The Irish Times reported from the conference the need for privacy in genetic testing in their article on the 21 November 2011.

For information on the programme and speaker presentations click here.

12/11/2011 - Employment law and mental health conference

The conference addressed the issue of Employment Law and Mental Health in Ireland.  The conference addressed the topic from a legal and medical perspective. This interdisciplinary approach assisted each discipline in gaining a broader understanding of the important issues that needed to be addressed.   The conference was attended by legal practitioners, medical practitioners, academics, researchers, NGO’s and those involved in disability issues.  For further details please consult the Conference Programme.

03/11/2011 - "More Choice, More Control" Supporting citizenship through individualised supports

This event was held by the National Federation of Voluntary Bodies in co-operation with the Centre for Disability Law and Policy. It considered in detail how Government can support the concept of individualised supports for people with intellectual disabilities, and the necessary changes in funding allocation systems which are required to make it a reality. The event was held in the Clayton Hotel, Galway. 

04/11/2011 - Active Citizenship & Disability - Toward a 21st Century Model of Supports for Persons With Disabilities conference

The purpose of this conference was to bring together key thinkers and actors to reflect on the sharp break needed between traditional welfare-oriented supports for persons with disabilities and a newer model that aims to underpin independence, choice and active citizenship. Conference Programme can be viewed here.

04/11/2011 - Disability and freedom from torture, inhumane, degrading treatment of punishment conference 

20/10/2011 - Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 20th October 2011: Disability and inclusive development conference

The Centre for Disability Law and Policy (NUI Galway) and CBM Ireland in conjunction with Dóchas and partners from the disability sector hosted a one-day conference. Ms. Judith Heumann, (Special Adviser on International Disability Rights to the US Department of State) delivered the keynote speech. Other distinguished speakers included former Australian MP Bob McMullan. This exciting one-day conference showcased how international cooperation and global collaboration on disability rights has brought positive change for persons with disabilities. Conference Programme is available for further details.

20/10/2011 - Book Launch: National Disability Strategies - From Rhetoric to Action, Implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Cambridge University Press, 2011)

Dr. Judith Heumann officiated the launch at the Dublin Convention Centre at 4.00pm on the 20th of October 2011. A reception was held, before the launch, at 3.35pm. The launch took place at the close of a conference co-hosted by the Centre for Disability Law and Policy and CBM Ireland, entitled: The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - Promoting Disability Inclusion in Ireland and the World.

14/10/2011 - Disability Law Clinic Launch

The Attorney General, Ms. Máire Whelan S.C. launched the NUI Galway Disability Legal Information Clinic on the 14^th October 2011 at 6.30pm in Room 129, Áras Moyola, NUI Galway, Galway. The Disability Legal Information Clinic is a partnership between the University’s student-run Free Legal Advice Centre (FLAC) and the Centre for Disability Law and Policy, directed by Professor Gerard Quinn. It will run its first clinic in October 2011. 

The Disability Legal Information Clinic is a free, confidential, accessible drop-in legal information service on issues related to disability. The clinics are staffed by trained student volunteers who will be supervised by either a legal practitioner or a staff member of the University’s Centre for Disability Law and Policy.

Pictured right is the Attorney General with volunteers from the Clinic and University staff members.

Gerard Quinn GIVES Keynote to US National Federation of the Blind in April

The 2009 Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium entitled, "New Perspectives on Disability Law: Advancing the Right to Live in the World" took place on April 17, 2009. This year, the keynote speech was given by Prof. Gerard Quinn. For further information, please consult this PDF document or visit the symposium's website.

Centre for Disability Law and Policy, National University of Ireland, Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland.
Tel: +353 (0)91 495888, SMS/Text Phone: +353 (0)87 6660634, Fax: +353 (0) 91 495569
Email: info.cdlpnuigalway.ie

This page was last updated Monday, January 16, 2012