President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins delivers the Council of The Bar of Ireland’s Daniel O’Connell lecture

Release date: 19/11/2015

The President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins today spoke about the challenge of human rights for contemporary law, politics and economics at the eighth Daniel O’Connell Memorial Lecture, which is hosted by The Council of The Bar of Ireland.

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Press release: – Dublin: The President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins today spoke about the challenge of human rights for contemporary law, politics and economics at the eighth Daniel O’Connell Memorial Lecture, which is hosted by The Council of The Bar of Ireland. (November 19, 2015).

Addressing members of the Bar of Ireland and its guests, President Higgins paid tribute to the Council of The Bar of Ireland for organising the lecture, which he said has come to serve an important function in the evolution of human rights in Ireland.

President Higgins, attending the event with his wife Sabina, said that human rights are not an aspiration; that they remain an urgent requirement of law and of our democracy.  While highlighting the progress that has been made, he said the demands of universal rights and human dignity continue to be tested every day in our courts.

He cited the current day issue of refugees and migrants arriving in Europe as both a great human rights challenge and also a great test of political leadership. In reference to events of the past week in Paris and Beirut, he said that the European response must be framed in context of the Convention of Human Rights. He told members of the Bar of Ireland that they have an important role to play in breathing life and purpose into the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, which he said is now the primary source of human rights in the EU but which is still not fully understood by European citizens.

Chairman of the Council of The Bar of Ireland, David Barniville SC, said; “It is most fitting that this year’s Daniel O’Connell memorial lecture is delivered by President Higgins, who throughout his life, in tandem with an almost 40 year career as a public representative has campaigned for human rights and for the promotion of peace and democracy in Ireland and in many other parts of the world.

“Daniel O’Connell was one of the most distinguished barristers of his day and – like President Higgins –the universality of human rights was central to his work, and ultimately to his legacy.   Access to justice is an integral part of human rights and we at The Bar of Ireland we believe that everyone should have equal access to justice. Unfortunately vulnerable and less well-off members of society often find it harder to navigate the legal system for various reasons and, while there are State-run initiatives, they are increasingly insufficient to meet growing needs. Working with charities and voluntary organisations through our Voluntary Assistance Scheme – we strive to do what we can to address the deficit.”

In his lecture, President Higgins commended the Council of The Bar of Ireland for its Voluntary Assistance Scheme and for the Rule of Law International project it runs in conjunction with The Law Society, which he visited in Malawi last year. He said it is a wonderful example of ‘internationalism’ in action – a subject which was a key theme of Daniel O’Connell’s own work, not only in relation to slavery and Jewish emancipation but also in support for the liberation movements in South America and elsewhere.

In his concluding remarks, President Higgins said that the future for human rights in Europe is full of promise and acknowledged the members of the Bar of Ireland for its role in upholding the rule of law, administering justice and defending the rights of the underdog.

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Notes to Editor:
The Council of The Bar of Ireland is the representative body for the barristers’ profession in Ireland. For more information see www.lawlibrary.ie

About the Daniel O’Connell Memorial Lecture:
The Daniel O’Connell Memorial Lecture is a lecture on the theme of human rights, organised and hosted by the Council of The Bar of Ireland. Established by Turlough O’Donnell SC in 2008, the lecture has previously been delivered by (now former) President of Ireland Mary McAleese, Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman of the Supreme Court, Dr Patrick Geoghegan, associate professor of history at Trinity College Dublin, and prominent American lawyer Pierce O’Donnell.
President Mary McAleese, delivered the lecture on 27 October 2011, the date of the Presidential Election in which President Higgins was elected President.