UCD Student Legal Service launches manual on students rights
The UCD Student Legal Service recently launched its manual on students rights at an event hosted by the UCD School of Law in Roebuck Castle. The manual, with a foreword by the Honourable Chief Justice Mrs Susan Denham, aims to promote students's understanding of their rights and entitlements in a clear and acessible format. It includes topics such as student debt, consumer, employment, landlord and tenant rights, and more contemporary issues such as rights on a night out and data protection. The production of the manual was made possible through the generous sponsorship of Allen and Overy.
The outgoing SLS chairperson, Sarah O'Meara, made some remarks on the launch of the Manual and thanked especially all those who had been involved in its production. She thanked the editors, Alicia Griffin, Anita Murphy and Demi Mullen and all those who had contributed to the manual and to the work of the SLS during the year. Demi Mullen, speaking on behalf of the editors, thanked all her colleagues, the contributors and all others who had helped to bring out the manual, especially sponsors Allen and Overy and also Griffith College for its support.
The Dean, Professor Colin Scott, expressed the School's congratulations and continued support for the Student Legal Service; in particular, Professor Scott singled out the enthusiasm which so many students had shown for the SLS's work and the quality of the work which they had done during the year, not just in producing the manual but also in providing free legal information to students through their clinic service. He referred in this context to the inspiring message which the President of Ireland, Mr Michael D. Higgins had given to the UCD Law Society the previous week about the value of service to the community and social solidarity, in terms of both of personal fulfillment and the health of our society and culture. More specifically, Professor Scott noted that the remarkable growth in student interest in the SLS over the six years he had been at UCD should be answer enough to those who were skeptical about whether there was a demand fron students for a greater clinical element in their undergraduate studies. He looked forward with excitement to the new Sutherland School of Law Building, and particularly the Clinical Legal Education Centre within it, as enabling the School to fully realize the potential for clinical learning to give students a practical but critical insight into what lawyers and those in other related professions do in their day-to-day working lives.
Dr Fiona De Londras, the SLS Senior Treasurer, also spoke. She commended SLS members on their achievement and lauded them as a prime example of students putting their enthusiasm, knowledge and creativity at the service of their peers and of the wider community.
For more information email: studentlegalservice@ucd.ie and see www.facebook.com/ucdstudentlegalservice
Professor Colin Scott speaking at the SLS manual launch
Dr Fiona De Londras speaking at the SLS manual launch
Outgoing chairperson SLS Sarah O'Meara with Patrick Fitzgerald, her successor for 2012/13
Bottom row left to right- Jack Kelly, Lisa Foley, Anita Murphy, Aoife MacDermott, Alicia Griffin, Eilish McPhillips & Sarah O'Meara
Top tow left to right-Patrick Fitzgerald, Demi Mullen & Aidan Forde
SLS Manual 2012 editors (L-R): Anita Murphy, Demi Mullen, Alicia Griffin
