Administrative Law
Tutorial 1 – 21 September 2007
Tutorial 2 – Will be on 12 January 2008
Dr. Brian Foley
Course Materials
Textbook
Course handbook
www.brianfoley.ie – updating process
www.irlii.org
www.irishstatutebook.ie
Assessment
Assignments – Page 82 – Yellow Book
Assignment 1 – 28th November 2007
Discuss the Effect of the Theory of Separation of Powers on the Development of Administrative Law
Assignment 2 – 6th February 2008
What is executive privilege? Explain with reference to case-law?
Exams
3 hours – 4 from 8
Short questions – pay attention to issues flagged in this tutorial as important for study
Lesson 1
Introduction to Administrative Law
Purpose – learn about the origins of control of public administration and how those origins inform our understanding of the law today
History – growth of state regulation
Desire for control over this
Strict Control v Discretion
Public v Private Bodies
Constitutional Right to Fair Procedures
Common law Origins – Dicey
Continental Comparison
Assignment – separation of power – need for control over executive power – think about the theory – legislative control, judicial control? How should the separation of powers influence the law which controls public administration?
Lesson 2
The Rule of Law
Nature of the Rule of Law
How should we understand it?
Dicey’s View
Constitutional Contribution
4 point understanding of it
Balance between power and responsibility
Privileged position of the State and rule of law?
Byrne v Ireland – prerogatives
EXERCISE – Read Byrne extract – outline main points – cut away the rest – what does it tell us about the State?
Lesson 3
Separation of Powers
Theory of Separating Power
Montesquieu – old conceptions – threehold ideas
Irish constitutional provisions – imperfect system? – Melling case
Summary of judicial controls – Crotty
Boundary issues?
Think about assignment…how does separation of powers affect administrative law? When
looking at rest of material in handbook – how is any of it explained by the separation of powers?
Examples – Judicial Power guarded…do you think the judiciary’s willingness to protect its own “sphere” carries over to influence administrative law – control of executive?
Executive Privilege
P 10, 118, 911, 935-952
Murphy v Dublin Corporation
CPO – wanted to figure out why – inspectors report – not disclosed – could the Minister refuse disclosure? HC view – some documents so sensitive for the Minister to decide himself – “category system”
SC – different view…for the COURT to decide…
Ambiorix v Minister for Environment
Supreme Court affirm – government memo’s here…said class system still existed in certain case “in interests of good government” and “proper running…of public service”
SC rejects
Lesson 4
Delegated Legislation - NB
Primary v Secondary Legislation
Article 15.2
The Issue
Democracy at risk? Need for Control?
ASSIGNMENT…ask yourself…does the separation of powers, in any way, affect how widely powers delegated to Ministers and public administrators can be drafted? Has the separation of powers (via the non-delegation
doctrine) increased the likelihood of unaccountable power in the public administration? Nice take to bring to the assignment.
Ultra Vires (Still Lesson 4)
Procedural and substantive UV
Case-examples
Lesson 5
Delegated Legislation 2
Procedures and “Dusty” Law – Statutory Instruments Act, 1947
Committee Scrutiny on Secondary Leg – Assignment 2? Changes in this…? Check out website for updates on this
European Union Issue and Delegated -Legislation NB– again – some updates will follow on this
Lesson 6
Tribunals
Examples of tribunals (not just the “big” ones)
Advantages and reasons for them?
Features of procedures
Constitutional Context - NB some updates to follow here
What are the constitutional issues – limits on powers?
Lesson 7
Inquiries - NB
Overview and procedures
Rights and fair procedures at tribs of Inq
Case-Study
Boylan v Beef Tribunal
Exericse – read Goodman Int v Hamilton [1992] ILRM 145 on tribunals - NB
Lesson 8 and 9
Ombudsman I and II
Overview of functions of the office
Jurisdiction
Scrutiny of reports to see how it works…(lesson 9)
Summary of Focus So Far
Delegated legislation (lesson 4) coupled with European Union Element (lesson 5)
Limits on powers of tribunals – disciplinary tribunals (lesson 6)
Issues with Tribunal’s of Inquiry (lesson 7)
Overriding Issue of “balancing” the need for judicial control with executive and administrative freedom (e.g. Q6, April 2007
Ombudsman (see e.g. Q1, 2006 –both papers, Q2, 2005 – both papers)