Today's other stories in brief
EU can ratify UN disability convention
The European Union has removed the last barrier to formal EU ratification of the United Nations convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, according to Gerard Quinn (pictured), the director of the Centre for Disability Law and Policy at NUI Galway.
A code of practice was agreed on in Brussels on December 6th that will govern how the European Commission shares its responsibilities under the convention with the member states, he said.
“From a legal point of view,” Mr Quinn added, “there is nothing to stop the EU from lodging its instrument of ratification with the UN despite the fact that not all EU member states, including Ireland, have ratified.”
He added that the Belgian minister for social affairs had said he wanted to conclude the ratification of the UN convention during the current Belgian presidency of the EU.
Mediation scholarships
CPD Seminars are offering scholarships on its accredited mediation training (foundation and advanced) taking place during 2011. There are eight places to be won (two from each category of applicants below).
Entrants must be an apprentice solicitor or solicitor of no more than three years' practice (two places); a devil or qualified barrister of no more than three years' call (two places); a law student (two places) or CIPD student (two places).
Entrants must submit a typewritten essay of no more than 2,500 words on the subject of alternative dispute resolution. The closing date for entries is January 20th, 2011.
Entries can be posted to CPD Seminars, 57 Dame Street, Dublin 2, or e-mail cpdseminars@eircom.net
For further information contact: www. cpdseminars.ie/ mediation- scholarships/
Seminars and talks postponed
The Irish Institute of Legal Executives had to postpone its seminar last Friday due to the inclement weather conditions and related cancellations.
The institute plans to reschedule for the new year.
The Irish Society for European Law's eighth Brian Walsh memorial lecture, due to be held last Wednesday, December 8th, in the Distillery Building, 145-151 Church Street was also postponed because of the weather.
It will be rescheduled for early in the new year.
The Irish Penal Reform Trust has postponed its seminar planned for next Wednesday as a result of its main speaker, John Lonergan, having had an accident.