72 publications filtered by spotlight
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Published on 3 Oct 2023
Spotlight: Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), and Sustainable Development: the Legal and Regulatory Framework in Ireland
The Spotlight: examines the legal and regulatory framework concerning environmental, social and governance (ESG), and sustainable development in Ireland; considers the importance of ESG for key stakeholders; discusses relevant legislative and policy developments at the EU and domestic levels; identifies supports for companies transitioning to more ESG-friendly practices; and compares Ireland’s performance in promoting ESG and sustainable development against other EU and OECD States.[Keywords: Business and industry, Economy and finance, Environment and Energy, Climate]
Published on 8 Apr 2022
Spotlight: The activation of the Temporary Protection Directive in response to the crisis in Ukraine
This Spotlight addresses the activation of the Temporary Protection Directive in response to the current crisis in Ukraine [Keywords: Economy and finance, Education, Environment and energy]
Published on 23 Dec 2021
Spotlight: Geothermal Energy - Barriers and advantages to adoption in Ireland
This Spotlight examines some of the primary driving forces incentivising geothermal energy in Europe and the barriers to its development in Ireland. Geothermal energy is a viable alternative to fossil fuel-sourced electricity and heating, with proven successes in Europe. It is a sustainable source of renewable energy that can contribute towards achieving Ireland’s binding emission targets for 2030 and 2050 [Keywords: Energy]
Spotlight: Geothermal Energy - Barriers and advantages to adoption in Ireland ()
Published on 8 Dec 2021
Spotlight: Addressing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Part Three: National Strategies/Action Plans to Address GBV.
Part three of a three-part series on addressing gender-based violence (GBV) provides an overview of national strategies/action plans to address gender-based violence from across Europe. [Keywords: Justice and crime, People and communities, Social protection]
Published on 18 Nov 2021
Spotlight: Addressing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Part Two: Interventions
Part two of a three-part series on addressing gender-based violence (GBV) presents analysis on evidence-based measures to address GBV and the adoption of these measures in Ireland. [Keywords: Justice and crime, People and communities, Social protection]
Spotlight: Addressing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Part Two: Interventions ()
Published on 15 Jun 2021
Spotlight: Nanotechnology - The influence, risks and opportunities of a rising technology
This Spotlight examines the social and ethical implications of nanotechnology in Ireland. The use of nanotechnology is continuing to grow through the development of new products, this is shaping the development of our economy, society and how we interact with the environment. This paper provides an overview of sectors, such as manufacturing, medicine and agri-food, where the use of nanotechnology and nanomaterials are likely to have a significant impact and considers the challenges associated with the technology and its materials. [Keywords: Business and industry, Technology and research]
Spotlight: Nanotechnology - The influence, risks and opportunities of a rising technology ()
Published on 6 May 2021
Spotlight: CETA Chapter 8 and the Investment Court System
This Spotlight focuses on the ongoing Irish ratification process of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada. It considers the main provisions of Chapter 8 of CETA, including the proposed Investment Court System (ICS), relevant case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, the Irish ratification procedure and the key elements of debate. [Keywords: Business and industry, Justice and crime, International and EU affairs]
Spotlight: CETA Chapter 8 and the Investment Court System ()
Published on 31 Mar 2021
Spotlight: eHealth in Ireland: Social and Ethical Values in Irish Policy on eHealth
This Spotlight examines the social and ethical implications of eHealth (electronic health) technologies, that use ICT for health-related issues and lifestyle habits that impact health. The Spotlight looks at social and ethical issues for policy makers to consider in this fast-developing field. [Keywords: Health, Technology and research]
Spotlight: eHealth in Ireland: Social and Ethical Values in Irish Policy on eHealth ()
Published on 18 Feb 2021
Spotlight: Algorithms, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence in the Irish Legal Services Market
This Spotlight examines the issues raised by the development of lawtech, which could reduce legal costs and improve access to justice, but could also worsen the digital divide and solidify existing biases in the legal system. [Keywords: Business and industry, Justice and crime, Technology and research]
Spotlight: Algorithms, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence in the Irish Legal Services Market ()
Published on 11 Feb 2021
Spotlight: Consumer and Commercial Drones - How a technological revolution is impacting Irish society
This Spotlight provides an overview of drone technology and explores examples of the real-world impact of drone use and evolving legislation governing drones in Ireland [Keywords: Rural, maritime and transport; Technology and research]
Published on 12 Oct 2020
Spotlight: Recovering from COVID-19 through a Green Lens
This L&RS Spotlight considers what a green recovery from COVID-19 – one which accelerates societal progress towards climate neutral goals - might look like in Ireland. [Keywords: Business and industry; Environment and energy; Rural, maritime and transport]
Published on 4 Jun 2020
Spotlight: Shared-equity homeownership
This Spotlight examines shared-equity homeownership and its potential to make the housing market more accessible. [Keywords: Business and industry, Housing and planning, People and communities]
Published on 30 Mar 2020
Spotlight: Direct Provision
This Spotlight examines the legal issues associated with the direct provision of services to international protection applicants in Ireland. [Keywords: International and EU affairs, People and communities]
Published on 19 Feb 2020
Spotlight: Gambling, Children and Video Games
This Spotlight examines the regulation of in-game ‘loot box’ purchases and the need for legislation to address concerns around children being exposed to addictive practices. [Keywords: Culture and sport, Justice and crime, People and communities]
Published on 20 Nov 2019
Spotlight: Administrative financial sanctions
This Spotlight provides an analysis of administrative financial sanctions in light of their emergence as a feature in a number of pieces of recent legislation. [Keywords: Justice and crime]
Published on 18 Nov 2019
Spotlight: The impact of anti-abortion protest on women accessing services – A Rapid Evidence Assessment
This L&RS and TCD Centre for Global Health collaborative Spotlight presents an assessment of known and unknown impacts of anti-abortion protest on women accessing services [Keywords: Health]
Published on 12 Nov 2019
Spotlight: The Decision of the Supreme Court in Kerins v McGuinness – Context and Implications
This Spotlight provides a comprehensive guide to the decision of the Supreme Court in Kerins v McGuinness & Ors. [Keywords: Parliament and government]
Spotlight: The Decision of the Supreme Court in Kerins v McGuinness – Context and Implications ()
Published on 2 Apr 2019
Spotlight: Mind the Care Gap: Exposing the health system’s vulnerability to the gap between family care provision and anticipated demand
An analysis of how demand for care at home is likely to increase dramatically while the future supply of family carers may be limited by demographic factors.
Published on 28 Feb 2019
Spotlight: Overseas voting in presidential elections: representative democracy, electoral integrity and the situation in EU States
This Spotlight analyses proposals to extend voting rights in Presidential elections to Irish citizens residing abroad. [Keywords: parliament, government]
Published on 2 Jan 2019
Spotlight: Ireland’s energy transition – challenges and opportunities
This Spotlight examines potential challenges and opportunities for Ireland’s future energy policies, recent trends in energy supply and demand, and relevant policy developments over the last decade. [Keywords: environment, energy]
Spotlight: Ireland’s energy transition – challenges and opportunities ()
Published on 18 Dec 2018
Spotlight: A comparison of the planning systems in Ireland and Northern Ireland
This joint paper describes and compares aspects of the current land use planning systems in Ireland and Northern Ireland. It explores some considerations around the impacts of Brexit and the two planning systems [Keywords: housing, planning]
Spotlight: A comparison of the planning systems in Ireland and Northern Ireland ()
Published on 1 Oct 2018
Spotlight: Traveller accommodation – The challenges of policy implementation
This Spotlight offers an overview and analysis of over twenty years of policy on Traveller accommodation. [Keywords: housing, planning, people, communities]
Spotlight: Traveller accommodation – The challenges of policy implementation ()
Published on 25 Sep 2018
Spotlight: School-based relationships and sexuality education (RSE) - lessons for policy and practice
This Spotlight considers the national and international policy architecture for school-based sex education [Keywords: education, health]
Published on 12 Jan 2018
Spotlight: Home Care for Older People - Seven Policy Challenges
This Spotlight provides an overview of the operation of the home care sector in Ireland and identifies a number of current policy and legislative challenges.
[Keywords: health, people, communities, social protection]
Spotlight: Home Care for Older People - Seven Policy Challenges ()
Published on 8 Jan 2018
Spotlight: Post-enactment Scrutiny in Parliament
This Spotlight uses expert literature on legislative scrutiny, and the experience of other parliaments, to outline the purpose and potential benefits of post-enactment scrutiny (PeS), parliament’s role in post-enactment scrutiny, the conditions under which it is most likely to be effective, and how best to approach PeS both with respect to the process and the actual focus of a post-enactment review.
[Keywords: parliament, government]
Published on 28 Sep 2016
Spotlight: International human rights law - operation and impact
Overview of the operation of international human rights law; how international human rights law impacts on Irish law; background information on international human rights bodies, key instruments and mechanisms to monitor and promote compliance with these instruments.
[Keywords: justice, crime, EU, international]
Spotlight: International human rights law - operation and impact ()
Published on 28 Jan 2016
Spotlight: Parliamentary scrutiny of government performance
The rationale for oversight/scrutiny, its theoretical underpinnings, tools and some of the barriers to effective parliamentary scrutiny; a model of how performance scrutiny can operate and the associated information for effective performance scrutiny; and parliamentary performance scrutiny in the Irish budgetary context focusing on the Irish Estimates process and the performance information contained within it.
[Keywords: parliament, government]
Spotlight: Parliamentary scrutiny of government performance ()
Published on 28 Sep 2015
Spotlight: Choosing segregation? The implications of school choice
School choice and how education policy can be used to make schools more inclusive; the effects of school choice on segregation; and the policy of divestment in this context.
[Keywords: education, people, communities]
Spotlight: Choosing segregation? The implications of school choice ()
Published on 18 Dec 2014
Spotlight: Pre-legislative scrutiny by Parliament
The purpose of pre-legislative scrutiny and its practice in other parliaments; the approach taken to pre-legislative scrutiny in the Houses of the Oireachtas and other parliaments.
[Keywords: parliament, government]
Published on 3 Oct 2014
Spotlight: Mortgage Arrears - Level and Resolution
Spotlight on the extent of mortgage arrears in Ireland as well as the various processes in place to help resolve the crisis.
[Keywords: people, communities, economy, finance]
Published on 25 Jul 2014
Spotlight: Government reform of planning legislation
A summary of the Mahon tribunal’s recommendations and other issues.
[Keywords: housing, planning, parliament, government]
Published on 18 Jul 2014
Spotlight: Higher education in Ireland - for economy and society?
Overview of higher education in Ireland in the context of ongoing and proposed reforms of the sector.
[Keywords: education, economy, finance, people, communities]
Spotlight: Higher education in Ireland - for economy and society? ()
Published on 30 Apr 2014
Spotlight: Wind Energy - how does it fit into Ireland’s hope for a green future?
Wind and its contribution to electricity from renewable energy sources in Ireland; the policy background, Ireland’s renewable energy targets; community acceptance and the alternatives available to us.
[Keywords: environment, energy]
Spotlight: Wind Energy - how does it fit into Ireland’s hope for a green future? ()
Published on 1 Apr 2014
Spotlight: Tendering for public service provision
This Spotlight compares and contrasts competitive tendering with other ways in which the State may provide services, outlines the EU rules surrounding public procurement and examines the considerations relevant to running a competitive tendering process.
[Keywords: economy, finance, social protection]
Published on 27 Mar 2014
Spotlight: GPs and the Irish primary care system - towards Universal Primary Care?
Overview of the role of GPs in the Irish primary care system, in the context of proposals for Universal Primary Care (UPC).
[Keywords: health]
Spotlight: GPs and the Irish primary care system - towards Universal Primary Care? ()
Published on 5 Dec 2013
Spotlight: Responding to Youth Unemployment in Europe
The extent of youth unemployment across Europe and its effects; the evidence regarding policy responses across Europe; the key messages from the research regarding the path forward.
[Keywords: economy, finance, people, communities, EU, international]
Published on 9 May 2013
Spotlight: Surrogacy, parentage, and citizenship - Ireland in the wider world
Spotlight on surrogacy; legal parentage and citizenship for children born through international surrogacy agreements.
[Keywords: health, people, communities, EU, international]
Spotlight: Surrogacy, parentage, and citizenship - Ireland in the wider world ()
Published on 8 Feb 2013
Spotlight: Localism in Irish politics and local government reform
How weaknesses in local government contribute to localism in Irish politics and how the Government’s programme of local government reform might affect the constituency workloads of parliamentarians.
[Keywords: parliament, government]
Spotlight: Localism in Irish politics and local government reform ()
Published on 9 Jan 2013
Spotlight: “Cash for gold” - second-hand trade in precious metals, jewellery and scrap metal
Spotlight on anecdotal reporting of increased criminal trade in the sale of stolen precious metals, jewellery and scrap metal, figures available on such activities, official responses and international approaches.
[Keywords: economy, finance]
Spotlight: “Cash for gold” - second-hand trade in precious metals, jewellery and scrap metal ()
Published on 30 Nov 2012
Spotlight: Local Government Reform
This Spotlight considers how the Action Programme for Effective Local Government Reform (Putting People First) will address weaknesses in local government. [Keywords: parliament, government]
Published on 31 Oct 2012
Spotlight: Community Policing in Ireland
This Spotlight clarifies the existing position on community policing in Ireland. It examines relevant legislative and policy developments and the initiatives and schemes which have been put in place. [Keywords: justice, crime, people, communities]
Published on 30 Sep 2012
Spotlight: Prostitution Regulation in Ireland - Which Way Now?
This Spotlight is intended to give an overview of the approaches to regulating prostitution taken in Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany and New Zealand. [Keywords: justice, crime, people, communities]
Spotlight: Prostitution Regulation in Ireland - Which Way Now? ()
Published on 31 May 2012
Spotlight: The Mental Health Act 2001 - Delivering on Best Practice?
This Spotlight looks at the procedures involved in the involuntary admission and detention of persons under the Act and the protections afforded to them during these processes. [Keywords: health, parliament, government]
Spotlight: The Mental Health Act 2001 - Delivering on Best Practice? ()
Published on 30 Apr 2012
Spotlight: Early Childhood Education and Care
This Spotlight examines the new programme of early childhood care and education in the Irish and international context. [Keywords: people, communities, education]
Published on 8 Mar 2012
Spotlight: Geothermal Energy - Technology and Potential
This Spotlight provides an overview of geothermal energy, the technologies used to utilise this energy and their applications in Ireland. [Keywords: environment, energy, business, industry]
Published on 29 Feb 2012
Spotlight: Well-being - Promoting Mental Health in Schools
This Spotlight is intended to give Members an overview of approaches and examples of early interventions both here and internationally and outline what is considered best practice in the design of youth mental health programmes. [Keywords: health, education, people, communities]
Spotlight: Well-being - Promoting Mental Health in Schools ()
Published on 31 Jan 2012
Spotlight: Bicameralism - Seanad Éireann and OECD Countries
This Spotlight locates Seanad Éireann within the global family of second chambers. Federalism and large populations are the normal predictors of bicameralism, so Ireland is unusual for having a second chamber. [Keyword: parliament, government]
Spotlight: Bicameralism - Seanad Éireann and OECD Countries ()
Published on 16 Dec 2011
Spotlight: Disclosure of Information - Duty to Inform and Whistleblowing
This Spotlight examines the difference between voluntary and mandatory disclosure, current and proposed measures, problems arising from disclosure and possible protections [Keywords: justice, crime]
Spotlight: Disclosure of Information - Duty to Inform and Whistleblowing ()
Published on 30 Nov 2011
Spotlight: Obesity – A Growing Problem?
This Spotlight reviews the evidence on effectiveness of obesity interventions and draws out lessons from international experience [Keywords: health]
Published on 13 Oct 2011
Spotlight: Tackling Social Welfare Fraud
This Spotlight identifies the extent of social welfare fraud and examines approaches aimed at combatting fraud [Keywords: social protection]