Northern Ireland faces a real and pressing public health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the UK and Irish governments have introduced emergency legislation in response to this crisis. Emergency legislation in times of crisis can be necessary and actively support positive action to protect human rights. The general principle is that emergency measures...
Social protests provide an important avenue for people to exercise their right to freedom of expression and their right to peaceful assembly. However, in recent years, many jurisdictions have placed new restrictions on protests, which often do not comport with international law and do not enhance public safety (or serve another legitimate purpose). In response...
No.-28-No-Emergency-No-Emergency-Law This pamphlet provides an overview of the history of “emergency” legislation before and after partition focusing on the development of the current Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1973 and many of the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989.
No.-13-Debt-an-Emergency-Situation-1989 The Payments of Debt (Emergency Provisions) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971 (PDA) was enacted in October 1971 to counter a rent and rates strike which had been called in protest against thee introduction of internment in August 1971. The legislation stated that the Act was to stay in force until six months after the end...
No.-5-Emergency-Laws-suggestion-for-reform-in-Northern-Ireland-1983 This is a submission by the Committee on the Administration of Justice tot he review by the Rt. Hon. Sir George Baker OBE of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978. The terms of reference of the review are as follows: “Accepting that temporary emergency powers are necessary to combat sustained terrorist violence, and...
No.-2-Emergency-laws-in-NI-conference-report-1982 Emergency law in Northern Ireland was one of the principal themes of a conference organised by the Committee on the Administration of Justice at the Student’s Union, Queen’s University, Belfast, on April 24, 1982. About 80 people took part in the conference, coming from all parts of the Northern Ireland community, and including lawyers,...
