My research interests are broadly in the field of public law and policy.  I have a particular interest in mental health law and policy and legal capacity and how these areas intersect.  I am also interested in the intersection of mental health law and policy with the criminal justice system.  In that regard my research examines how the criminal justice system responds to persons considered to have a mental health problem, intellectual disability or where there is a question raised over a persons decision-making (legal capacity).  

Research Interests

Conference, Seminar and Other Papers 

• O’Mahony, C ‘Legal and Financial Aspects of caring’ [Carrick-on-Shannon: Health Services Executive, 19 June 2012].
• O’Mahony, C ‘Legal Capacity Law in Ireland: Human Rights Obligations’ [Dublin: University College Dublin, Centre for Disability Studies, 10 February 2012]. 
• O’Mahony, C ‘Consent to Medical Treatment Speech Language Therapy and Adults with Intellectual Disability’ [Dublin: Cheeverstown House, 3 February 2012].  
• O’Mahony, C ‘What is the link between legal capacity and detention?’ [Strasbourg: Mental Disability and Advocacy Center (MDAC) Workshop on the implications UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for the inspection standards of the Committee on the Prevention of Torture (CPT), 4 November 2011]. 
• O’Mahony, C ‘Legal Capacity & Mental Health Law: Irish Law and International Human Rights Law’ [Dublin: Incorporated Law Society of Ireland, Diploma in Capacity and Mental Health, 7 October 2011]. 
• O’Mahony, C ‘Enduring Powers of Attorney’ [Sligo: HSE Dementia Conference, 27 October 2011].
• O’Mahony, C ‘The Equal Status Acts 2000-2010’ [Galway: Disability Legal Information Clinic / Free Legal Advice Centre NUI Galway]. 
• O’Mahony, C ‘Legal Capacity: Criminal law, Insanity and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ [Reykjavik: Nordic Network on Disability Research (NNDR): 11^th Research Conference, 27 May 2011].
• O’Mahony, C ‘Legal Capacity in Ireland: Reflections on the Law and Ireland’s Human Rights Obligations’ [Dublin: University College Dublin, Centre for Disability Studies, 11 February 2011]. 
• O’Mahony, C ‘The Interface of Irish Law with the ECHR and the UNCRPD in the Mental Health Field’ [Dublin: Incorporated Law Society of Ireland, Diploma in Capacity and Mental Health, 7 December 2010]. 
• O’Mahony, C ‘A Critical Consideration of Mental Health Courts’ [Limerick: Irish Association of Law Teachers Annual Conference, 24 November 2010]. 
• O’Mahony, C ‘The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Implications for Domestic Mental Health Law’ [Oakland: Disability Rights California, 4 November 2010]. 
• O’Mahony, C ‘The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Abolition of the Insanity Defence’ [Berkeley: Boalt Hall School of Law, 27 October 2010]. 
• O’Mahony, C ‘Careers in Law for Graduate Students’ [Galway: NUI Galway, 2^nd Mastering Law Conference, 4 June 2010].
• O’Mahony, C ‘Employment Law and Policy: Research and the Disability Act 2005’ [Galway: Persons with Disabilities in Ireland, International Disability Conference, 3 December 2009]. 
• O’Mahony, C ‘Practical Application of the Revised Brussels 11 Regulation’  [Cork: Incorporated Law Society of Ireland, PPC II, Advanced Family and Child Law Elective, 6 June 2009].
• O’Mahony, C ‘The Eligibility of Persons with Disabilities for Jury Service’ [Cork: University College Cork, Conference entitled “The Promise of Law: Political Claims and the Boundaries of Justice”, 30 April 2009]. 
• O’Mahony, C ‘Reform of the jury in common law jurisdictions’ [Limerick: Irish Society of Comparative Law Annual Conference, 28 February 2009]. 
• O’Mahony, C ‘Trial by Jury’ [Dublin: Summer Lunchtime Law Lecture Series, Ballymun Community Law Centre, 9 July 2008]. 
• O’Mahony, C ‘Jury Service and Reform of the Jury System in Ireland’ [Manchester: Socio-Legal Studies Association (SLSA) Annual Conference, March 2008]. 
• O’Mahony, C ‘The Changing Nature of Television Consumption’ [Durham: Society of Legal Scholars (SLS) Annual Conference, Durham, 12 September 2007].  
• O’Mahony, C ‘Race, Policing and Criminal Justice’ [Dublin: Annual Irish Criminology Conference, University College Dublin, 5 September 2007]. 
• O’Mahony, C ‘The Effectiveness of Human Rights Law in Realising Adequate Standards of Healthcare in the Prison Setting’ [Canterbury: Socio-Legal Studies Association (SLSA) Annual Conference, University of Kent, 4 April 2007]. 
• O’Mahony, C ‘Looking up or stepping up the stairs?  A human rights critique of Irish prison healthcare services and policy’ [Dublin: Legal Research Conference, University College Dublin, 25 November 2006]. 
• O’Mahony, C ‘A Future for Public Service Broadcasting: New Challenges, New Pressures, New Approaches’ [Dublin: Irish Media Research Network Annual Conference, Dublin Institute of Technology, 16 June 2006]. 

Other Legal Research & Consultancy 

• ‘Report Citizen Jury on Legal Capacity and Mental Health’ [Dublin: Amnesty International, forthcoming 2012]. 
• ‘Thematic Legal Study on Mental Health and Fundamental Rights: Ireland Report’ [Fundamental Rights Agency Legal Experts Group, 2010]. 
• ‘Consultation Paper: Jury Selection’ [Law Reform Commission: CP 61- 2010.  Available at: www.lawreform.ie]. 
• O’Mahony and Bruton ‘Irish Report on the employment of disabled people in European countries’ Academic Network of European Disability experts (ANED) 2008.  Available at: http://www.disability-europe.net/content/pdf/IE%20Employment%20report.pdf.   
• ‘Report: Third Programme of Law Reform’ [Law Reform Commission: LRC 86 - 2007.  Available at: www.lawreform.ie]. 
• ‘Seminar Paper: Public Consultation on Law Reform’ [Law Reform Commission: SP 3 -2007.  Available at: www.lawreform.ie]. 

Working Papers 

• O’Mahony, C, Fox, N & Keogh, M ‘Socio-Legal Perspectives on Disability Rights’ (Galway: Working Paper, 2012). 

Submissions on Disability/Mental Health Law & Policy

• Authored the Amnesty International submission on the ‘Consultation Process on Mental Health issues and the Criminal Justice System’ (Dublin: May 2012, Submitted to the Interdepartmental Group to examine the issue of people with mental illness coming into contact with the criminal justice system). 
• Co-authored the Centre for Disability Law & Policy’s ‘Submission to the Department of Health on its Review of the Mental Health Act 2001’ (Galway: November 2011). Available at: http://www.nuigalway.ie/cdlp/documents/cdlp_mental_health_act_2001_submission.pdf 
•  Co-ordinated and contributed to the Centre for Disability Law & Policy, NUI Galway legal capacity position paper.  ‘Submission on Legal Capacity to the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence & Equality’ (Galway: July 2011).  Available at: http://www.nuigalway.ie/cdlp/documents/cdlp_submission_on_legal_capacity_the_oireachtas_committee_on_justice_defence_and_equality_.pdf 
•  Co-authored with colleagues from the Centre for Disability Law & Policy the Centre’s contribution to the ’Submission to the Universal Periodic Review of Ireland Twelfth Session of the Working Group on UPR Human Rights Council’ (Galway: March 2011). Available at: http://www.nuigalway.ie/cdlp/documents/upr_submission_march_21st.pdf

Current Teaching 
 
Legal Skills
Constitutional Law
Comparative Disability Law
Health, Law and Policy 

Previous Teaching
 
The Criminal Jury
Criminal Law
European Human Rights Law
Labour Law
Law for Nursing Students 
 
Administrative Duties 

LL.M in Public Law