Prof Brice Dickson

Professor Emeritus, Queen's University Belfast

I have worked as a legal academic for most of my career, becoming a professor in 1991, but I have also taken time out to work at board level for public bodies such as the Equal Opportunities Commission for Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, the Northern Ireland Policing Board and the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery. I have also been active in NGOs such as the Committee on the Administration of Justice in Northern Ireland and Amnesty International. I have published several books on law in Northern Ireland, human rights law and other legal issues (e.g. the concept of fairness). I retired from full-time academic work in 2017 but have remained research active since then in my capacity as Professor Emeritus at Queen’s University Belfast.

Contributed to

3

Structure and operation of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Practice Notes

This Practice Note provides an overview of the Northern Ireland Assembly, how members are elected, the key players in the Assembly (and, in particular, the role and powers of the Assembly’s executive branch), and how the Assembly makes laws.

Public Law

The process of decision making in Northern Ireland

Practice Notes

This Practice Note explains some of the special features of devolution and decision making under the Northern Ireland Act 1998, including power-sharing and cross community support, which are a specific response to the past conflict in Northern Ireland. It also describes some differences in the role of the Secretary of State in the Northern Ireland devolution scheme (as compared to the devolution settlement in Scotland and Wales).

Public Law

Legislative process for an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly—flowchart

Flowcharts

This Flowchart shows the steps taken for a Bill to progress to an Act in the Northern Ireland Assembly, including referral to the Secretary of State and challenge by law officers.

Public Law