Constitutional Law:
Text, Cases and Materials
By
Oran Doyle
Trinity College, Dublin
CLARUS
PRESS
CONTENTS
Foreword
vii
Preface
xi
Table of Constitutional Provisions
Table of Legislation
Treaties and Conventions
Table of Cases
xix
xxiii
xxxi
xxxiii
Chapter 1: Nation, State, People and Language
I.
The Nation and its People
II.
The Rights of the People
III. The State and its Powers
IV. Language
1
3
5
6
11
Chapter 2: The Constitution and the Criminal Law
I.
Introduction
II.
The Concept of Trial in Due Course of Law
III. What is a Criminal Charge?
IV. Unconstitutionally Obtained Evidence
V.
The Right to be Provided with a Lawyer
VI. The Right to Silence
VII. Unfair Pre-Trial Publicity
VIII. The Duty to Seek Out and Preserve Evidence
IX. The Right to an Early Trial
X.
The Presumption of Innocence
XI. No Right to Confrontational Cross-Examination
XII. The Right to Jury Trial
XIII. No Retroactive Penal Sanctions
XIV. Vague Criminal Offences
XV. Blameworthiness
15
17
17
19
20
28
33
37
39
41
45
48
48
55
55
56
Chapter 3: Equality
I.
Introduction
II.
Formal Equality
III. Aristotelian Equality
Legitimate Recognition of Difference
Other Legitimate Reasons for Legislative Discrimination
No Obligation to Treat Unequals Unequally
IV. Standards of Review
V.
Levelling Up or Down
VI. Indirect Discrimination
VII. The Human Personality Doctrine
59
61
61
63
63
70
71
71
72
73
74
Xlll
Constitutional Law: Text, Cases and Materials
Chapter 4: The Unenumerated Rights Doctrine
I.
Textual Basis and Early Days
II.
Methods for the Identification of Unenumerated Rights
Christian and Democratic Nature of the State
The Human Personality
The Natural Law
Rights Implied From Other Constitutional Provisions
III. The Difficulties with the Unenumerated Rights Doctrine
IV. The Apotheosis of the Natural Law in Irish Constitutional
Law
V.
Current Status of Unenumerated Rights Doctrine
100
104
Chapter 5: Personal Rights
I.
Introduction
II.
The Right to Life
III. The Right to Life of the Unborn
IV. The Right to a Good Name
V.
The Right to Bodily Integrity
VI. The Right to Work and Earn a Livelihood
VII. The Right to (Marital) Privacy and Autonomy
VIII. The Right of Access to the Courts and the Right to Litigate
1°9
HI
HI
H4
I23
124
I25
I27
I28
Chapter 6: Property Rights
I.
Introduction
II.
Early Case Law and the Interaction Between Art 40.3.2°
and Art 43
III. What is Property?
Constitutionally Protected Property
Economic Value Created by Law
IV. Standing to Invoke Property Rights
V.
Testing the Legitimacy of Restrictions of Property Rights
Introduction
The Proportionality Test
Regulation of Ownership Rights
Regulation of Land Use
Taxation
Retrospective Restrictions of Property Rights
Imposing the Cost of Achieving a Public Good on One
Section of the Community
Anomalous Legislation as Distinct from Clearly
Focused Legislation
VI. Compensation
VII. Postscript
[
133
135
Chapter 7: Liberty and the Dwelling Place
I.
Introduction
II.
Procedural or Substantive Guarantee
III. Illegalities Leading to Unconstitutional Detention
IV
Rights of Prisoners
V
83
85
87
87
88
92
96
97
136
140
I40
141
147
149
149
149
I52
155
156
I58
158
160
162
165
167
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169
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Liberty and the Legality of Detention PowersZZ"ZZZ"ZZZZ""---
172
175
179
Contents
VI.
VII.
Preventive Detention
Inviolability of the Dwelling
186
188
Chapter 8: Freedoms of Expression, Assembly and Association
I.
Introduction
II.
Public Order and Morality
III. Freedom of Expression
Rationale
The Freedom to Express What?
The Freedom of Whom?
Restrictions on Freedom of Expression
Blasphemy
IV. Freedom of Assembly
V.
Freedom of Association
Trade Unions
Political Parties
Sports Clubs
Restrictions on Freedom of Association
The Extent of the Freedom
191
193
193
194
194
195
197
199
205
207
207
208
211
212
213
215
Chapter 9: Family and Education
I.
Introduction
II.
Marital Families and Recognition for Other Types of
Family Unit
Definition of "Marriage" and "Family"
Legislative Recognition of Non-Marital Families
III. The Right to Marry
IV. The Rights of Married Couples and Families
Family Rights
Rights of Married Couples
V.
The Position of Non-Marital Families
The limits of Art 41
Alternative Means of Constitutional Protection
VI. Standing of Non-Nationals to Invoke Arts 41 and 42
VII. Derivative Rights to Reside in Ireland
The Right of a Child Citizen to Reside in the State
The Child Citizen's Right to the Care and Companionship of
her Parents in the State
Species of Common Good that can Override the Right
VIII. Woman's Life Within the Home
Legitimising Discrimination by Reference to Art 41.2
Attempts to Expand Art 41.2
Proposals for Change
IX. The Autonomy of Married Couples
X.
Children's Rights and Family Autonomy
Children's Rights
Parental Autonomy in the Custody Context
Parental Autonomy in the Health Context
Parental Autonomv in the Education Context
219
221
223
223
226
232
234
234
235
235
235
236
240
241
244
245
246
249
249
250
252
253
255
255
256
260
267
xv
Constitutional Law: Text, Cases and Materials
XI.
Primary Education
The Meaning of (Primary) Education
Parental Choice in Primary Education
At Risk Children
274
274
283
285
Chapter 10: Religion
I.
Introduction
II.
Freedom of Conscience and Free Practice and
Profession of Religion
III. Non-discrimination
IV. Non-endowment
V.
Overview of Case Law on Art 44
287
289
Chapter 11: The Legislative Power and the Oireachtas
I.
Introduction
II.
Delegated Legislation
III. Henry VIII Clauses: the Interaction of the Non-delegation Doctrine and
the Ultra Vires Doctrine
IV. Primary Legislation as a Deliberative Process
V.
Investigative Powers of the Oireachtas
3° 7
309
312
Chapter 12: The Executive Power and the Government
I.
Introduction
II.
Implicit Executive Powers
III. Explicit Executive Power Over External Relations
IV. Composition of the Government
V.
Cabinet Confidentiality
' "".'....'.'.'.'..
333
XII.
289
292
298
303
321
327
330
335
335
341
348
'•• 3 4 9
351
Chapter 13: The Judicial Power and the Courts
I.
Introduction
353
H.
The Character of the Judicial Power
353
357
III. The Reservation of the Judicial Power to the Courts
IV. Oversight of Other Governmental Powers as an Aspect of the
Judicial Power
362
The Majority's View of the Separation of Powers: A High
Constitutional Value
363
The Majority's View on when the Courts may make a
Mandatory Order
365
The Minority's View of the Separation of Powers: A Framework
for Government
367
The Minority's View on when the Courts "may "make"a
Mandatory Order?
368
Difficulties in Both the Majority" a n d ' M i n o r i t y ' p o s i t i o m ' I I ^ ^ ^ ' ^ - - 3 6 9
v
VI
VI.
TU c D l s t l n c t l o n b e t w e e n Commutative and Distributive Justice
u S e f f a t l ° n ° f P ° W e r S a n d C ^ P e t i n g Visions of Democracy
Judicial Impeachment
The Constitutionality of the'impeachment
372
376
...378
Pw^'ZZ'ZZZZ'•'••378
Contents
The Constitutionality of the Power to Compel Judges
The Direction to Produce the Computer
380
381
Chapter 14: The European Union
I.
Introduction
II.
The Principal Constitutional Amendments
III. Amendment of the Treaties
IV. Methods of Incorporating Community Law
383
385
385
387
392
Chapter 15: Referendums and the Political Process
I.
Introduction
II.
Referendums: the Constitutional Provisions and Early Cases
III. The Referendum Cases: a More Interventionist Role
IV. The Substance of Referendum Proposals
V.
The Electoral Process
Drawing of Constituency Boundaries
Secret Ballot
Rules Governing Candidates at Elections
403
405
405
409
416
419
419
425
426
Chapter 16: Principles Governing Constitutional Litigation
I.
Introduction
II.
Standing
III. The Presumption of Constitutionality
IV. Judicial Restraint
V
The Double Construction Rule
VI. Severance
VII. Effects of a Finding of a Declaration of Unconstitutionality
Introduction
When Do Declarations of Unconstitutionality Date To?
What is the Effect of a Declaration of Unconstitutionality?
The Continuing Effect of Official Decisions Taken Before the
Declaration of Unconstitutionality
429
431
431
437
439
441
443
445
445
446
447
Chapter 17: Constitutional Interpretation
I.
Introduction
II.
The Constitution: Interpreting Words
III. The Constitution: Interpreting Values
IV
Conclusions
455
457
458
461
468
Index
469
452
xvn