Legal Research Internship Access Scheme

By GavinWalsh, Monday, 26th April 2021 | 0 comments
Filed under: 2020.

 

 

Legal Research Internship Access Scheme

The Legal Research Intern Access Scheme has been created to provide an internship opportunity in the Law Reform Commission for current final year or post-graduate students in law who come from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds or have disabilities.

The internships will provide successful applicants with paid work experience in a legal environment and the opportunity to develop skills and confidence as part of a research team.

The aim of the access internship is to increase diversity in the legal profession and to improve access to opportunities for students from underrepresented backgrounds. Through the access internship, we seek to promote greater diversity in the legal sector. We are mindful of the evidence of indirect barriers to entry to legal professions which are likely to impact on socio-economically disadvantaged groups in particular (Hook Tangaza (2018) Review of Legal Practitioner Education and Training).

Public bodies in Ireland have a responsibility to promote equality, prevent discrimination and protect the human rights of their employees, customers, service users and other affected by their policies and procedures. This is a statutory obligation known as the Public Sector Duty for Equality and Human Rights. The statutory duty is set out in Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act. While the Law Reform Commission is an equal opportunities employer, we have created this access scheme to further promote equality.

Role of a Legal Research Intern

Under the supervision of the Director of Research, Deputy Director of Research and a Senior Researcher, the Legal Research Intern will:

complete research tasks to assist with providing a legal research service to the Commission,
assist a Senior Researcher with preparing draft papers, Consultation Papers or Reports covering law reform,
attend and participate at conferences and meetings, and
undertake such other duties as may from time to time be assigned by the Commission.

The Legal Intern’s contribution will be acknowledged when a Consultation Paper or Report on a relevant project is published.

Please find the Information Booklet for this position here.
Please find the Application Form for this position here.

 

Frequently Asked Questions: Legal Research Internship Access Scheme

1. If I did not enter an undergraduate degree in a Higher Education Institution in Ireland through an Access Programme, am I eligible to apply for this internship access scheme?

No, you are not eligible to apply for this internship access scheme.

 

2. What is an Access Programme/Route?

“Access Programme / Access Route” includes a variety of higher education initiatives which support access to third-level education, for example, the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR), Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) and other access initiatives which are local and specific to individual Higher Education Institutions and which cater to both school leavers and mature years’ students.

Mature years' students are defined as those aged 23 years or over prior to entry date and who have no previous undergraduate Level 8 qualification.

Access initiatives which are local and specific to individual Higher Education Institutions include being admitted to an Institution’s Access Programme and awarded funding to complete an undergraduate degree by the Institution despite not having entered through the HEAR or DARE Access Programmes. This includes opportunity scholarships awarded by a Higher Education Institution to those who would have been unable to afford to study an undergraduate degree at the Institution without the scholarship.

If you are still unsure about whether you are eligible to apply for the internship, please email internship@lawreform.ie

 

3. What documents do I need to provide with my application?

You need to provide a letter from the Access Office in the relevant Higher Education Institution stating that you accessed an undergraduate degree as part of a specified Access Programme/Route e.g., the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) or Disability Access Route to Education (DARE). The letter must refer to you by name.

If you entered an undergraduate degree through an access initiative other than HEAR/DARE, you must provide a letter from the Access Office in the relevant Higher Education Institution stating that you accessed an undergraduate degree through that local initiative specifying the initiative and whether it involved the awarding of funding, for example, through a Student Assistance Fund or scholarship. The letter must refer to you by name.

 

4. If I am studying for a postgraduate degree in Ireland for which I received a scholarship or funding, but I did not enter an undergraduate degree in Ireland through an Access Programme/Route, am I eligible to apply for this internship access scheme?

No, you are ineligible if you did not enter an undergraduate degree in Ireland through an Access Programme/Route.

 

5.  If I entered an undergraduate degree in a Higher Education Institution through an Access Programme and have undertaken FE1 exams in the 2020/2021 academic year, am I eligible to apply for this internship access scheme?

Yes. You should provide supporting documentation to show that you have sat FE1 exams in the 2020/2021 academic year in addition to the required letter from the Access Office of the Higher Education Institution in which you completed your undergraduate degree.

If you are part of the Law Society Access Programme or have received a bursary from the Dublin Solicitors Bar Association to support your study at the Law Society of Ireland, you should also mention this in your application form and providing relevant supporting documents.

 

6. If I entered an undergraduate degree in a Higher Education Institution through an Access Programme and am now studying for the Barrister-at-Law degree at the King’s Inns, am I eligible to apply for this internship scheme?

Yes. If you have been awarded the Denham Fellowship or McCarthy Bursary to undertake the Barrister-at-Law degree, you should also mention this in your application form and provide supporting documents in addition to the required letter from the Access Office of the Higher Education Institution in which you completed your undergraduate degree.

 

 

Intéirneacht Taighde Dlí Chothromais

Tá an intéirneacht chothromais dírithe go sonrach ar mhic léinn ó chúlraí faoi mhíbhuntáiste socheacnamaíoch nó ar mhic léinn faoi mhíchumas. Is í aidhm an intéirnacht chothromais éagsúlacht sa dlí agus cothromas teachta ar deiseanna ghairmiúil sa dlí a mhéadú d’iarrthóirí faoi mhíbhuntáiste. Tabharfaidh an intéirneacht taithí oibre do mhic léinn i dtimpeallacht dlí, chun scileannea agus muinín a forbairt mar chuid d’fhoireann taighde.

Leis an intéirneacht chothromais, táimíd ag iarradh níos mó éagsúlachta a spreagadh i ngairm an dlí agus éagsúlacht níos mó a chur chun cinn san earnáil dlí. Tugaimid an bhfianaise ar bhacainní indíreacha ar iontráil chuig gairmeacha dlí faoi deara agus an tionchar ar ghrúpaí atá faoi mhíbhuntáiste socheacnamaíoch go háirithe (Athbhreithniú Hook Tangaza (2018) ar Oideachas agus Oiliúint Cleachtóirí Dlí).

Tá sé de fhreagracht ar gach comhlacht poiblí in Éirinn comhionannas a chur chun cinn, idirdhealú a chosc agus cearta daonna a bhfostaithe, a gcustaiméirí, lucht úsáidte a seirbhísí agus gach duine a dtéann a gcuid beartas agus pleananna i bhfeidhm orthu a chosaint. Is oibleagáid dhlíthiúil é sin, ar a dtugtar Dualgas na hEarnála Poiblí um Chomhionannas agus Cearta an Duine, agus d’eascair sé as Alt 42 den Acht fá Choimisiún na hÉireann um Chearta an Duine agus Comhionannas, 2014. Cé go bhfuil an Coimisiún Athchóirithe Dlí tiomanta do pholasaí deis comhionann, cruthaíodh an intéirneacht chothromais chun comhionannas a chur chun cinn tuilleadh.

Ról Intéirnach

Faoi mhaoirseacht Stiúrthóra Taighde, Leas-Stiúrthóir Taighde agus Taighdeoir Sinsearach, beidh an Intéirneach Dlí:

•          Ag déanamh tascanna taighde mar chúnamh soláthar seirbhís taighde dlí don Choimisiún

•          Ag tabhairt cúnamh do Taighdeoir Sinsearach chun dréachtaí ar pháipéir, Páipéir Chomhairliúcháin agus Tuarascálacha a ullmhú a bhaineann le hathchóiriú dlí,

•          Freastal agus páirt a ghlacadh ar chomhdhálacha agus cruinnithe,

•          Dualgais eile a dhéanamh de réir agus a bhíonn siad sannta ó am go ham ag an gCoimisiún.

Tabharfar creidmheas don Intéirnach don rannchuidiú nuair a fhoilsítear Páipéar Chomhairliúcháin nó Tuarascáil.

Faigh an Leabhrán Faisnéise don phost seo anseo.  
Faigh an Fhoirm Iarratais don phost seo anseo.

 

Ceisteanna Coitianta - Intéirneacht Taighde Dlí Chothromais

 

1. Mura ndeachaigh mé go hInstitiúid Ardoideachais in Éirinn trí Chlár Rochtana (céim fochéime), an bhfuil mé incháilithe iarratas a dhéanamh ar an scéim rochtana intéirneachta seo?

Níl, níl tú incháilithe iarratas a dhéanamh ar an scéim intéirneachta chothromais seo.

 

2. Cad is Clár / Bealach Rochtana ann?

Cuimsíonn “Clár Rochtana / Bealach Rochtana” réimse tionscnamh ardoideachais a thacaíonn le rochtain ar oideachas tríú leibhéal, mar shampla an Bealach Teachta ar Ardoideachas (HEAR), an Bealach Teachta Míchumais ar Oideachas (DARE) agus rochtain eile tionscnaimh atá áitiúil agus sainiúil d’Institiúidí Ardoideachais aonair agus a fhreastalaíonn ar lucht fágála scoile agus ar mhic léinn aibí araon.

Sainmhínítear mic léinn aibí blianta mar mhic léinn 23 bliana d’aois nó níos sine roimh an dáta iontrála agus nach bhfuil aon cháilíocht fochéime Leibhéal 8 acu roimhe seo.

Áirítear mar thionscnaimh rochtana atá áitiúil agus sainiúil d’institiúidí ardoideachais aonair cláir rochtana na n-institiúidí féin, agus maoiniú a dhámhachtain ag na n-institiúidí chun céim fochéime a chríochnú (in ainneoin nár iontráil siad trí na Cláir Rochtana HEAR nó DARE). Áirítear leis sin scoláireachtaí deise  bhronnaithe ag Institiúid Ardoideachais orthu siúd nach mbeadh ar a gcumas staidéar a dhéanamh ar chéim fochéime san Institiúid gan an scoláireacht.

Más rud é nach bhfuil a fhios agat fós má tá tú incháilithedon intéirneacht, seol ríomhphost le do thoil: internship@lawreform.ie

 

3.  Cad iad na doiciméid a chaithfidh mé a sholáthar le m'iarratas?

Ní mór duit litir a sholáthar ón Oifig Rochtana san Institiúid Ardoideachais ábhartha ag deimhniúgo bhfuair tú rochtain ar chéim fochéime mar chuid de Chlár / Bealach Rochtana sonraithe m.sh., an Bealach Rochtana Ardoideachais (HEAR) nó an Bealach Rochtana Míchumais ar Oideachas (DAREuj). Caithfidh an litir tagairt a dhéanamh duit de réir ainm.

Má tácúrsa céim fochéime déanta agat trí Chlár Rochtana/thionscnamh rochtana seachas HEAR / DARE, ní mór duit litir a sholáthar ón Oifig Rochtana san Institiúid Ardoideachais ábhartha ag deimhniú go ndeachaigh tú go hInstitiúid Ardoideachais tríd an tionscnamh áitiúil sin ag sonrú an tionscnaimh agus an raibh baint aige leis an maoiniú a dhámhachtain, mar shampla, trí Chiste Cúnaimh do Mhic Léinn nó scoláireacht. Caithfidh an litir tagairt a dhéanamh duit de réir ainm.

 

4. Má táim ag staidéar do chéim iarchéime in Éirinn a bhfuair mé scoláireacht nó maoiniú ina leith, ach nár iontráil mé céim fochéime in Éirinn trí Chlár Rochtana / Bealach, an bhfuil mé incháilithe iarratas a dhéanamh ar an scéim rochtana intéirneachta seo?

Níl, níl tú incháilithe.

Áirítear leis seo faighteoirí gach cineál scoláireachtaí iarchéime nó maoiniú nár iontráil céim fochéime in Éirinn mar chuid de Chlár / Bealach Rochtana.

 

5. Má chuaigh mé isteach i gcéim fochéime in Institiúid Ardoideachais trí Chlár Rochtana agus má rinne mé scrúduithe FE1 sa bhliain acadúil 2020/2021, an bhfuil mé incháilithe iarratas a dhéanamh ar an scéim rochtana intéirneachta seo?

Tá tú incháilithe. Ba cheart duit cáipéisíocht tacaíochta a sholáthar chun a dheimhniú go ndearna tú scrúduithe FE1 sa bhliain acadúil 2020/2021 sa bhreis ar an litir riachtanach ó Oifig Rochtana na hInstitiúide Ardoideachais inar chríochnaigh tú do chéim fochéime.

Má tá tú mar chuid de Chlár Rochtana an Dlí-Chumainn nó má fuair tú sparánacht ó Chomhlachas Barra Aturnaetha Bhaile Átha Cliath chun tacú le do staidéar ag Dlí-Chumann na hÉireann, ba cheart duit é seo a lua i d’iarratas agus doiciméid tacaíochta ábhartha a sholáthar.

 

6. Má chuaigh mé isteach i gcéim fochéime in Institiúid Ardoideachais trí Chlár Rochtana agus má táim ag staidéar anois don chéim Abhcóide Dlí ag Óstaí an Rí, an bhfuil mé incháilithe iarratas a dhéanamh ar an scéim intéirneachta seo?

Tá tú incháilithe. Má bronnadh Comhaltacht Denham nó Sparánacht McCarthy ort chun an chéim Abhcóide Dlí a dhéanamh, ba cheart duit é seo a lua i d’iarratas agus doiciméid tacaíochta a sholáthar i dteannta na litreach riachtanacha ó Oifig Rochtana an Ardleibhéil Institiúid Oideachais inar chríochnaigh tú do chéim fochéime.