Author Archives: Neil van Dokkum

About Neil van Dokkum

Neil van Dokkum (B. SocSc; LLB; LLM; PGC Con.Lit) Neil is a law lecturer and has been so since arriving in Ireland from South Africa in 2002. Prior to that Neil worked in a leading firm of solicitors from 1987-1992, before being admitted as an Advocate of the Supreme Court of South Africa (a barrister) in 1992. He published three books in South Africa on employment law and unfair dismissal, as well as being published in numerous national and international peer-reviewed journals. Neil currently specialises in employment law, medical negligence law, family law and child protection law. He dabbles in EU law (procurement and energy). Neil retired from practice in 2002 to take up a full-time lecturing post. He has published three books since then, “Nursing Law for Irish Students (2005); “Evidence” (2007); and “Nursing Law for Students in Ireland” (2011). His current interest is the area of disability as a politico-economic construct. Neil is very happily married to Fiona, and they have two sons, Rory and Ian.

What! More wind turbines? Are you serious?

Posted on August 15, 2019

It is now widely recognised that wind turbines are inefficient, costly, environmentally unfriendly, and harmful to humans and other animals. For those who do not particularly care about these things, but are concerned about their personal finances, they are also … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Research; Peer-Review Process; Medical Journals, Brexit, Democracy; Ireland; Fine Gael; Labour; Sinn Fein; Workers; Constitution, Dr Sarah Laurie; Steve Cooper; Bob McMurtry; Alun Evans, EIA Directive 2014/52/EU, EirGrid; Insurance; Law; Cancer; EMF, EU Renewable Energy 2020 Target, Green Party; Ireland; Eamonn Ryan; Cormac Manning, Irish Farmers Association; IFA; wind farm contracts, Justine McCarthy; The Sunday Times; EMF, lobbying; democracy; political process; general election, Ministerial Responsibility; Liability; Negligence; cardiovascular, NREAP; National Renewable Energy Action Plan; EU Commission; Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee; ACCC, Planning and Development Act 2000; guidelines; directives; Sections 28 & 29, The Spokes of the Wheel; wind farms; Ireland; Windfall, Wind Farm Contract, Wind Farm Guidelines, turbines, flicker, noise, distance, Denis Naughten, Wind Turbine Syndrome; Professor Alun Evans, Wind Turbines: Esen Fatma Kabadayi Whiting | Tagged biomass, corruption, democracy, depression, dizziness, eagle's nest, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, golden eagles, green, green energy, public funds, renewable energy, sleep deprivation, suicide, wind, wind energy, Wind farm, wind farm noise, wind farms, Wind power, wind turbines, windfarms | 3 Comments

Autism : A colourful history

Posted on May 6, 2019

This gallery contains 7 photos.

Originally posted on From the Inside:
This morning, I found a handful of photographs of our Ian from many years ago. I was looking for something completely different, of course. That is the way of my life. The minute I…

Gallery | Leave a comment

The final stages of capitalism

Posted on April 15, 2019

In Das Kapital, (my translation) Marx describes the final stages of capitalism, literally along the lines of ‘capitalism will eat itself’: “The final stages of capitalism will be marked by global capital being unable to expand and generate profits … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Research; Peer-Review Process; Medical Journals, An Bord Pleanala; appeal; interested parties, Apple; Google; Data Centre, Brexit, Cloud; iCloud; Data Centre; Data Center, Democracy; Ireland; Fine Gael; Labour; Sinn Fein; Workers; Constitution, Easter Uprising, 1916 Revolution, Independence, IRA., lobbying; democracy; political process; general election, Ministerial Responsibility; Liability; Negligence; cardiovascular, NREAP; National Renewable Energy Action Plan; EU Commission; Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee; ACCC, Press Freedom, University Hospital Waterford | Tagged ANC, corruption, democracy, fascist, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, homelessness, Ireland, poverty | Leave a comment

Plain English please!

Posted on January 8, 2019

“It is important to remember why our statutes should be framed in such a way as to be clearly comprehensible to those affected by them. It is an aspect of the Rule of Law. People who live under the Rule … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy; Ireland; Fine Gael; Labour; Sinn Fein; Workers; Constitution, lobbying; democracy; political process; general election | Tagged democracy; legislation; Plain English, Ireland | 3 Comments

Hate Speech

Posted on December 5, 2018

What is hate speech? Hate speech, as defined by the No Hate Speech Movement Ireland, covers all forms of expression which spread, incite, promote or attempt to justify any form of hatred, stereotyping or discrimination based on intolerance. This … Continue reading →

Posted in EirGrid; Insurance; Law; Cancer; EMF | 3 Comments

Reasons, and the reasons for giving Reasons.

Posted on July 24, 2018

This is a case report on the Supreme Court judgment of: Kathleen Connelly v. An Bord Pleanala (Clare County Council and McMahon Finn Wind Acquisitions Ltd – Notice Parties) Full judgment here: Kathleen Connolly v ABP Supreme Court . The Parties … Continue reading →

Posted in An Bord Pleanala; appeal; interested parties, High Court; Judicial Review; Appeal on the merits; judicial discretion, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA); Grid 25; North-South Interconnector | Tagged biomass, Canada, corruption, DA, depression, EMF, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, green, green energy, infrasound, Ireland, PAC, renewable energy, renewables, sleep deprivation, suicide, tort, vehicle, wind, wind energy, Wind farm, wind farm noise, Wind power, wind turbine noise, wind turbines, windfarms | 5 Comments

Gratitude.

Posted on July 14, 2018

Originally posted on thegreenerdream:
It is the eve of our open garden weekend and there are still lots of things to tend to. There are floors to sweep, furniture to move, the café area to organize further and many other…

Posted in EirGrid; Insurance; Law; Cancer; EMF | Leave a comment

The Courts of Ireland – take 2

Posted on July 2, 2018

Many thanks indeed for the loads of helpful comments and suggestions to the first draft of a chapter I am writing which seeks to introduce the Irish legal system to people who know little or nothing about Irish law. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Research; Peer-Review Process; Medical Journals, EirGrid; Insurance; Law; Cancer; EMF, High Court; Judge Caroline Costello; John Callaghan; Leave to Appeal, High Court; Judicial Review; Appeal on the merits; judicial discretion, judicial review; Wednesbury Test; O'Keeffe; rationality; Separation of Powers, Law; High Court; Leave To Appeal; Environment, Legal Costs; Access to Justice; Courts, Peremptory law; Directory Law; Planning and Devlopment Act of 2000 | Tagged accident, ANC, bald eagles, biomass, Canada, corruption, DA, depression, dizziness, Ei, EMF, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, foreseeability, green, green energy, infrasound, Ireland, Keith Stelling, Leave To Appeal, nocebo, PAC, public funds, renewable energy, renewables, Road Traffic Act, sleep deprivation, suicide, tort, vehicle, White Paper, wind, wind energy, Wind farm, wind farm noise, wind farms, Wind power, wind turbines | Leave a comment

Communities under threat

Posted on June 25, 2018

This is the Press Release from WindAware Ireland concerning the critical situation in which the people of Ratheniska, County Laois, find themselves. Wind Aware Ireland Press Release One Small Laois Community to Blockade A Big Energy Company A small … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy; Ireland; Fine Gael; Labour; Sinn Fein; Workers; Constitution, EirGrid; Insurance; Law; Cancer; EMF, High Court; Judicial Review; Appeal on the merits; judicial discretion, judicial review; Wednesbury Test; O'Keeffe; rationality; Separation of Powers, lobbying; democracy; political process; general election, Planning and Development Act 2000; guidelines; directives; Sections 28 & 29, RTS Action Group; Ratheniska; Timahoe; Spink, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA); Grid 25; North-South Interconnector | Tagged biomass, Canada, corruption, DA, depression, EirGrid, EMF, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, green, green energy, Ireland, PAC, public funds, renewable energy, renewables, sleep deprivation, suicide, vehicle, wind, wind farm noise, wind farms, Wind power, wind turbines | 1 Comment

How do our courts work?

Posted on June 17, 2018

The volume of work at my place of employment has caused me to neglect this blog, for which I apologise. Rather than simply stopping blogging, I thought I might combine work and blogging. The piece below is a very … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Research; Peer-Review Process; Medical Journals, An Bord Pleanala; appeal; interested parties, Apple; Google; Data Centre, Arsin Demir, Çalık Holding; Turkey; EU; renewables, Brexit, BSB Community Energy Ltd, Cloud; iCloud; Data Centre; Data Center, Comeragh Mountains; Declan McGrath, Democracy; Ireland; Fine Gael; Labour; Sinn Fein; Workers; Constitution, Dr Jennifer Kavanagh; Electoral Law in Ireland; elections; MEP; TD, Dr Sarah Laurie; Steve Cooper; Bob McMurtry; Alun Evans, EIA Directive 2014/52/EU, EirGrid; Insurance; Law; Cancer; EMF, Enercon, EU Renewable Energy 2020 Target, Framore Limited, Freedom of Information; Access to Environmental Information; AIE; Commissioner for Environmental Information, GDPR; Data Protection; Individual Rights, Green Party; Ireland; Eamonn Ryan; Cormac Manning, High Court; Judge Caroline Costello; John Callaghan; Leave to Appeal, High Court; Judicial Review; Appeal on the merits; judicial discretion, Irish Farmers Association; IFA; wind farm contracts, judicial review; Wednesbury Test; O'Keeffe; rationality; Separation of Powers, Justine McCarthy; The Sunday Times; EMF, Kilvinane Wind Farm Ltd; substituted consent, Law; High Court; Leave To Appeal; Environment, Legal Costs; Access to Justice; Courts, lobbying; democracy; political process; general election, Ministerial Responsibility; Liability; Negligence; cardiovascular, Ms Justice Costello; Section 37A Planning and Development Act 2000;, Nancy West, North-South Interconnector; An Bord Pleanala, NREAP; National Renewable Energy Action Plan; EU Commission; Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee; ACCC, Pat Swords, Paudie Coffey; series compensation; Fine Gael; Alan Kelly; Alex White, Peremptory law; Directory Law; Planning and Devlopment Act of 2000, Planning Permission; Extension; Planning and Development Act, Press Freedom, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters; Aarhus Convention; Aarhus Treaty, Refugees; Apartheid; Kulaks; Stalin;, RTS Action Group; Ratheniska; Timahoe; Spink, Rugby Union; ; Super Sub; CJ Stander; IRFU; Munster Rugby;, Section 35; ESB Act 1927; wayleave notice, South Africa, wind turbines, developing nations,, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA); Grid 25; North-South Interconnector, The Spokes of the Wheel; wind farms; Ireland; Windfall, The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s (UNECE) Convention on Access to Information, Turkey; ABK Çeşme RES Enerji Elektrik Üretim A.Ş, University Hospital Waterford, Val Martin, Wind Farm Contract, Wind Farm Guidelines, turbines, flicker, noise, distance, Denis Naughten, Wind Turbine Syndrome; Professor Alun Evans, Wind Turbines: Esen Fatma Kabadayi Whiting | Tagged accident, Alex White, ANC, bald eagles, biomass, Canada, corruption, Cost of renewable energy, cost of wind power, County Manager, DA, depression, dizziness, eagle's nest, Ei, EirGrid, Electrical grid, EMF, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, foreseeability, golden eagles, Graham Lloyd, green, green energy, infrasound, Ireland, Keith Stelling, Leave To Appeal, low frequency noise, McGuiness, nocebo, power prices, public funds, Rabbitt, renewable energy, renewables, Road Traffic Act, Simon Chapman, sleep deprivation, student; study; learning; text book, suicide, tort, vehicle, Waterford Council, White Paper, wind, wind energy, Wind farm, wind farm noise, wind farms, Wind power, wind power costs, wind turbine noise, wind turbine syndrome, wind turbines, windfarms, Zuma | 9 Comments

Who’s Afraid of the GDPR?

Posted on February 22, 2018

The GDPR – how will it affect us? I have been inundated with questions about the upcoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). My default excuse of “I haven’t had time to look at it yet” was wearing a bit thin, … Continue reading →

Posted in Apple; Google; Data Centre, Cloud; iCloud; Data Centre; Data Center, Freedom of Information; Access to Environmental Information; AIE; Commissioner for Environmental Information, lobbying; democracy; political process; general election, NREAP; National Renewable Energy Action Plan; EU Commission; Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee; ACCC, Press Freedom, Profiling; Data Collection; Information Algorithm. | Tagged Canada, corruption, DA, depression, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, freedom of information; commercial activity; online transactions; e-commerce; Big Brother; Google; Facebook; Twitter; Amazon; Apple., green, Ireland, renewable energy, renewables, suicide | 2 Comments

More Lies

Posted on February 20, 2018

No matter where they are in the world, the wind industry try to sell us the same porky pies. And their paid politicians are only to happy to take their money. via Wind Industry Claims that ‘Coal is Dead’- … Continue reading →

Posted in EirGrid; Insurance; Law; Cancer; EMF | Leave a comment

The End of the Road – for the CCDG

Posted on February 18, 2018

As readers of this blog are well aware, I have for a while now followed the longstanding dispute between the two Declans – Declan McGrath, well-known author and conservationist, and Declan Mulhearne, the Chairperson of the Comeragh Community Development Group … Continue reading →

Posted in Comeragh Mountains; Declan McGrath, EirGrid; Insurance; Law; Cancer; EMF | Tagged corruption, County Manager, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, green, Ireland, public funds, renewable energy, tort, vehicle, Waterford Council | Leave a comment

Scandal! EirGrid in the Crosshairs.

Posted on January 28, 2018

Ratheniska residents are claiming that they have exposed Eirgrid’s litany of failures and systematic corporate sharp practice. The Ratheniska, Timahoe, Spink (RTS) Action Group, when briefing Minister Denis Naughten, made a number of extremely serious allegations, which they backed … Continue reading →

Posted in EirGrid; Insurance; Law; Cancer; EMF, RTS Action Group; Ratheniska; Timahoe; Spink | Tagged dizziness, Eirgrid; Eirgrid Group; Fintan Slye, EMF, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, green, green energy, Ireland, renewable energy, renewables, RTS Action Group, sleep deprivation, suicide, tort, wind, Wind power | 5 Comments

‘Windfarm has ruined my family’s life’

Posted on January 24, 2018

Yet another distressed family has come forward to describe how a wind farm in Co. Wicklow has ‘ruined’ their lives. Richard Hobson and his partner have two special needs children who are sensitive to noise and light. The family … Continue reading →

Posted in Wind Farm Guidelines, turbines, flicker, noise, distance, Denis Naughten | Tagged Canada, DA, depression, dizziness, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, green, green energy, Ireland, renewable energy, renewables, sleep deprivation, suicide, wind, wind farm noise, wind farms, Wind power, wind turbines | 7 Comments

Lots of hot air, but still no cost-benefit analysis

Posted on January 16, 2018

Wind Aware Ireland Press Release Minister Naughten has been accused of talking ‘gobbledygook’ on wind energy by a top economist. Minister Naughten’s take on wind energy in Ireland has been described as “gobbledygook verging on baby talk.” by top economist … Continue reading →

Posted in EU Renewable Energy 2020 Target, Green Party; Ireland; Eamonn Ryan; Cormac Manning | Tagged biomass, Canada, cost of wind power, DA, depression, dizziness, Electrical grid, EMF, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, green, green energy, infrasound, Ireland, renewable energy, renewables, sleep deprivation, suicide, wind, wind energy, Wind farm, wind farm noise, wind farms, Wind power, wind turbine noise, wind turbine syndrome, wind turbines | 4 Comments

Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose

Posted on January 13, 2018

An interesting commentary from Pat Swords on the North-South Interconnector: “Some thoughts and facts about the Ireland of today with further confirmation that we don’t live in anything that even remotely approaches a Democracy. Still one gives it a ‘poke’ … Continue reading →

Posted in An Bord Pleanala; appeal; interested parties, Democracy; Ireland; Fine Gael; Labour; Sinn Fein; Workers; Constitution, EIA Directive 2014/52/EU, EirGrid; Insurance; Law; Cancer; EMF, EU Renewable Energy 2020 Target | Tagged Aarhus Treaty; Aarhus Convention; UN; EU; windfarms; NREAP; Pat Swords; Rabbitte; environment; wind turbines; consultation; EirGrid;, Aarhus Treaty; Aarhus Convention; UN; EU; windfarms; NREAP; Pat Swords; Rabbitte; environment; wind turbines; consultation; EirGrid; GridLink; John Lowry; Fine Gael; Fianna Fail; Labour Party; Green P, Al;ex White TD; Green Paper on Energy Policy in Ireland; New Ross, Alan Kelly; Labour Party; wind turbines; setback distance, An Bord Pleanala; ESB; High Court; Peart J.; project splitting; EIS; environmental impact statement; Framore Limited; EcoPower; Ecopower Developments Limited; Waterford City Council; Waterford County , bias; An Bord Pleanala; Paudie Coffey; Fine Gael; Fianna Fail; wind farms; planning permission; Supreme Court; High Court; EirGrid, BW Energy; ReThink Pylons; Green Paper on Energy; wind turbines; GridLink; EirGrid; biomass; Solar PV; renewable energy, Coolnabacky; Laois; Kilkenny; An Bord Pleanala; Andrew Boyle; EirGrid; substation; 110kV; 400kV; Rabbitte; EirGrid; pylons; EMF; judicial review; High Court; appeal; justice; Fianna Fail; Fine Gael; L, Pat Swords; High Court; Four Courts; Pat Rabbitte; NREAP; EirGrid; EU; wind energy; wind turbines; pylons; Labour; Fianna Fail; Sinn Fein; Green Party; Eamon Ryan, renewable energy, Wind power | 1 Comment

A Solar Roof?

Posted on January 10, 2018

I found this on Bloomberg. I would be interested to read peoples’ comments. “Tesla Inc. has kicked off production of its long-awaited electricity-producing shingles that Elon Musk says will transform the rooftop solar industry. Manufacturing of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Research; Peer-Review Process; Medical Journals, EU Renewable Energy 2020 Target | Tagged biomass, Canada, DA, depression, EMF, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, green, green energy, Ireland, renewable energy, renewables, sleep deprivation, suicide, vehicle, wind, Wind power | 7 Comments

Corporate Energy Control is the big problem

Posted on December 31, 2017

If each household was an energy neutral entity, would that not be far more desirable than ramping up the grid and building massive wind farms all over the country? It seems logical, but of course that would mean an end … Continue reading →

Posted in EU Renewable Energy 2020 Target | Tagged Aarhus Treaty; Aarhus Convention; UN; EU; windfarms; NREAP; Pat Swords;, BW Energy; ReThink Pylons; Green Paper on Energy; wind turbines; GridLink; EirGrid; biomass; Solar PV; renewable energy, EcoPower; Ecopower Developments Limited; Waterford City Council; Waterford County Council; wind farm; County Development Plan, EirGrid; budget; tax; stealth tax; PSO Levy; electricity price; charges; financial statement; Fine Gael; Fianna Fail; Labour Party; People Before Profit; Direct Democracy; ESB; Rabbitte; Phil Hogan; w, Fine Gael, green energy, Pat Swords; High Court; Four Courts; NREAP; EirGrid; EU; wind energy; wind turbines; pylons; Labour; Fianna Fail; Sinn Fein; Green Party; Eamon Ryan, renewable energy, renewables, sleep deprivation, Wind power, wind turbines | Leave a comment

	Nigel de Haas on What! More wind turbines? Are…
	Neil van Dokkum on What! More wind turbines? Are…
	andreasmarciniak on What! More wind turbines? Are…
	Neil van Dokkum on Reasons, and the reasons for g…
	Kate Tolan on Reasons, and the reasons for g…
	andreasmarciniak on Plain English please!
	Neil van Dokkum on Plain English please!
	Pat Sharkey on Plain English please!
	Neil van Dokkum on Hate Speech
	Nigel de Haas on Hate Speech