RT @FredPLogue: We are quite smug in this country and like to think we are a haven of democracy, I have thoughts - a🧵. .

As we can see, particularly in the US, threats and reprisals against lawyers, and people exercising their fundamental rights puts us on the slippery slope to authoritarianism. <end>.

In my own work, I've also seen many clients acting privately to protect the environment and their local communities personally threatened and also via their management at work for exercising their rights.

The constant moral panic about public interest litigation also puts undue pressure on the court system and the judiciary and introduces hidden biases. Given the consistency of the messaging across the board and the persistence, it doesn't seem to be spontaneous.

The judicial system has been under a deliberate and concerted assault from the very highest offices in the state, egged on by a well remunerated cadre of courtesans and paid lobbyists spouting rhetoric echoing Trump/MAGA in the US and the Brexiters/Farage in the UK.

The firms that will take on this work are constantly attacked directly and indirectly through rules and practices aimed at making it more difficult if not commercially impossible for them to act for their clients.

But the toxic narrative about access to justice and holding the state to account means that few if any of the big law firms in Ireland will take on serious litigation seeking to hold the state to account, protect the environment or stand up for minorities.

We are quite smug in this country and like to think we are a haven of democracy, I have thoughts - a🧵.

It's totally counterintuitive to have industrial zoning in towns and cities but leaving the same use open for consideration in the countryside often near environmentally sensitive locations or in conflict with existing uses. But this lack of planning causes huge conflict. 4/4.

Attempts by some LAs to do spatial planning for wind have failed because the plans are being overridden 3/.

So even though in towns there are zonings for heavy/light industry, commercial, retail, residential etc. Greenfields in the open countryside which are not zoned could have solar, wind, power station, battery storage, hydrogen plant, waste plant etc. 2/.

Ever wondered why there is so much conflict in the planning system? Well counter-intuitively land outside settlements can in principle be developed for any use. 1/.

RT @AnBurcach: The IT is now bringing the Dermot Desmond Metrolink nonsense forward to day two by attempting to dignify it with the laughab….

RT @CianOConcubhair: Same story here in Ireland. Unless it's for GAA, teens gathering in public spaces is presumptively suspicious. Indeed,….

Imagine the Irish @GardaTraffic operating like this? All we see is the Police ignoring or even attacking people who submit videos of traffic crime, and then hypocritically ask for dashcam footage when it suits themselves.

RT @_IHREC: We welcome the important judgment today from the European Court of Justice, regarding the State’s responsibility to Internation….

Check out my latest article. Scope of Birds Directive clarified by the Court of Justice.

RT @POLITICOEurope: Helsinki hasn’t registered a single traffic-related fatality in the past year, municipal officials revealed this week.….

RT @colmfod: CJEU decision regarding state liability for failing to provide material reception condition (shelter, food, sanitation etc) t….

RT @EUCourtPress: ⚖️ Judgment in Case C-600/23 Royal Football Club Seraing: can clubs be denied access to national courts to challenge FIFA….