“We all need to continue to follow public health guidance … But the government must encourage compliance by appealing to our sense of the common good not by threatening us with sticks and sanctions.”
Author Archives: Doireann Ansbro
Doireann Ansbro is the senior research and policy officer with the Irish Council for Civil Liberties. She studied English and history at Trinity College Dublin and law at Nottingham Law School. She has an LLM in human-rights law and was called to the bar of England and Wales in 2009. Prior to working for the ICCL, she worked as a legal adviser to the International Commission of Jurists and a consultant to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Doireann: Will the New Minister for Justice Follow Through on Justice Reform?
Lots of what is promised has been called for by human rights groups for a long time. So will this minister and this government be able to follow through?
Doireann: What Are the Dangers with the New Garda Powers?
Protecting public health in a time of grave risk is a legitimate aim. But there are also legitimate concerns that current measures go beyond what is needed.
Doireann: New Charter for Victims of Crime Is Helpful, but Gaps Remain
Until now, the charter hadn’t been updated since 2010, long before the 2018 Victims’ Rights Act came into force.
Doireann: Who Should Police the Police?
Reform of the Garda-oversight bodies is coming – if the election doesn’t derail it, writes a senior research and policy officer with the Irish Council for Civil Liberties.
Doireann: These Are Your Rights If You Report a Crime to Gardaí
There needs to be a Victims’ Rights Ombudsman, who can oversee complaints by victims where their rights are not upheld, writes a senior policy officer with ICCL.
Doireann: Here’s How the Gardaí Could Tackle Hate Crime Better
Gardaí need to do a better job of taking victims’ reports seriously and gathering data on hate crimes, and they should develop comprehensive rules for responding to such crimes.
Doireann: Are Body-Worn Cameras for Police Just Another Form of Intrusive State Surveillance?
Having gardaí film interactions with the public presents a host of potential privacy problems. Studies saying it would improve policing are yet to convince.
Doireann: Keeping an Eye on the Effort to Reform An Garda Síochána
In a monthly column, we’ll be tracking what’s happening with policing reform: what’s still being teased out, what’s being rolled out, what’s working, what’s not.