NUI

GALWAY SCHOOL OF LAW

Land Law I Essay

The theoretical approaches to land law offer the
possibility of a renewed relevance to Irish land
law. Discuss with reference to at least three
such approaches.

DrPadraicKenna
Novermber2014

Wordcount(excludingbibliography)2453(including)2668

MariaNFhlathartaFinalBCL10316841

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TherealitiesofIrishsocietyplacepropertyandpropertyownershipatthecentreof
ourmind.Fromjokesregardingaperspectivepartnersroadfrontagetotheexpansive
propertypagesinweekendnewspapersandtoradioandTVdiscussionsofinterestrates
withthesoleaimofmakingmoneyoffthepropertymarket.Thismakessense,ourhomes
andbythatourlandisasignificantfactorinshapingourexistencehoweverthese
conversationsrarelyventurepastthepracticalconsiderations.Theclosestmediacomesto
discussingthebasisoftheseroots,isaquasiintellectualdiscussionontheideaofproperty
ratherthantherootofit.1Thesadrealityleavesalldiscussionregardingpropertytobe
focusedentirelyonprofit,andthemoretechnicalaspectsofthecurrentstateofthe
propertymarket.Ratherthanquestionwhy,citizenstendtoquestionhow,asinhowdoes
thisaffectme?.Therootofourrelationshiptopropertyisrarelydealtwithandmost
oftentheconceptisnotdealtwithasarelationship,butasanabsoluteownershipthatis
moretangiblethanalegalright.2Asweoperateasademocracy,itisthediscussionsand
opinionsofcitizensthemselvesthatshapeourlegislation.Thisfactorneedstobeatthe
forefrontofourmindsaswecontemplatethequestionposed.
AnemergingtheorythathasapossibilityofrelevanceinIrishlandlawisdeveloping
fromthejurisprudenceofhumanrightslaw.Whilethismayseemanunlikelysourcefor
substantivecontributionstotheoriesofproperty,thegapbetweenthefieldsisnarrowing
rapidly.Whilelandlawandhumanrightsmaynotseemlikenaturalbedfellows,3itfollows
thatinmoderntimesbothshouldbeinextricablylinked.Ifwearetolookatthe
relationshipandhistoricalcontext,withholdinglandrights,andlimitingownershiphasbeen
ameansofoppressionformillenniaandcontinuestobesotoday.PalestiniansintheGaza
Strip,theapartheidregimeinSouthAfrica,thesystematicanduniversalsubjugationof
womentherearecountlessexamplesthroughouthistoryandinmoderntimesofthistype

DSedaris,Possession The New Yorker, April 19, 2004 P. 100

FMacAonghusa,PhilosophyCornerProductions,2014positsthattherelationshipbetweenapersonand
propertyisnotperceived,itisdifficultforsomeonewhoacceptssomethingtobe,tomakeaconcretemove
fromthatperception,theywillinevitablyfindthemselvestiedtotheexperientialconcepts,asopposedtothe
theoreticalconcepts.
3
KGray,LandLaw:Issues,Debates,Policy(WilliamPublishing2002),211245
2

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ofoppression.4PropertyrightsareenshrinedintheUniversalDeclarationofHumanRights,
aswellasseveralregionalandspecifichumanrightsinstruments.5
Themorepragmaticapproachfoundthesetheoreticalframeworkshaveagreater
possibilityofcreatingreforminlandlaw.Theyareguidingprinciples,withgreaterclarityin
aframeworkforimplementation.IntheECHRprotocolonearticle1,therighttopropertyis
framedastherighttopeacefulenjoymentofpossessions.Everynaturalorlegalpersonis
entitledtothepeacefulenjoymentofhispossessions.Nooneshallbedeprivedofhis
possessionsexceptinthepublicinterestandsubjecttotheconditionsprovidedforbylaw
andbythegeneralprinciplesofinternationallaw.Theprecedingprovisionshallnot
howeverinanywayimpairtherightofthestatetoenforcesuchlawsasitdeemsnecessary
tocontroltheuseofpropertyinaccordancewiththegeneralinterestwheretosecure
paymentoftaxesorothercontributionsarepenalties6thereisamovementtowards
positivestateobligations,thismovementfurtherbridgesthemythicaldividebetweenthese
twofields.Thistranscendstheliberalnotionofrights,whichfocusesonlimitingstate
interference,andnegativeobligations.
TheprinciplessetforthArticle8oftheECHR,7broadentheconceptofproperty,and
intheoryexpandontheideaofpositiverightswithrespecttopropertylaw.InMazariv
Italy,8theECHRheldthatwhiletherewasnoobligationonthestatetomeetthisstandard
bysolvingallhomeproblems,incertaininstances(suchasherewhereillnessmeantthat
refusalhadsignificantimpactontherights)therefusaltoaccommodateapersonsneeds
canresultinaviolationofArticle8.

AsasmallcasestudyIwillexaminehowtheethosputforwardinIHRL,canandhas

impacteddomesticlaw.Article12oftheConventionoftherightsofPersonswith
Disabilitiesstatessubjecttotheprovisionsofthisarticle,Statepartyshalltakeall
appropriateandeffectivemeasurestoensuretheequalrightsofPersonswithdisabilitiesto
ownorinheritproperty,andshallensurethatpersonswithdisabilitiesarenotarbitrarily

MLee,UnfinishedBusinessintheSouthernAfricanDevelopmentCommunity,TheLandCrisisinSouthern
Africa(2003)
5
UniversalDeclarationonHumanRights,article17subsections1.
6
ECHR,Protocol1,Article1PropertyRights,(2010)
7
ECHR,Article8.1
8
MarzarivItaly(1999)28EHRRCD175

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deprivedoftheirproperty.9Thisfallsinlinewiththegeneralethosofhumanrightstheory,
howeverthereisaclearactiontobetakenfromthis,whichhasagreaterpotentialto
generatereforms.YoucanseethisinIreland,acountrywhichhasnotratifiedtheCRPD10
withregardstohowtherightsofPWDsareevolving.Underthestatusquo,ifapersonwas
heldnottohavecapacitytheyweremadeawardofcourt.ThisisregulatedbytheLunacy
RegulationActIreland1871.11Inaccordancewiththeorderof67ofthesuperiorcourts,
anyoneheldtolackcapacitywillbeplacedunderthecareofacommittee.12Thethreshold
forincapacityisforapersontobeofunsoundmindandincapableofmanaginghisperson
orproperty13Inthissituationadealingsapersonhadwithregardstopropertywasheldto
bevoidabinitio.
ThissubstantiallyrestrictssomePWDstocontroltheirownpropertyrights,however
thedistinctobligationsofsubstantiveequalitythatarisesfromIHRLjurisprudencecanactas
aguidetoresolvetheseissues.WiththeaimofratifyingtheAct,andmeetinghumanrights
standardsthereisashiftinlegislationinthisarea.Thiscanbedemonstratedthroughthe
capacitybillthatismakingitswaythroughtheDil,14whensignedintolawthebillwill
illuminatetheprocedureundertheantiquatedlunacyactandreplaceitwithamore
equitablealternative.
ThechairpersonoftheNationalDisabilityAuthoritywasquotedassayingthatthe
issueofintellectualcapacityremaintoberesolved,inparticularhowbesttorespectthe
decisionmakingrightsofpeoplewithintellectualdisabilities,whilstsimultaneously
protectingtheirinterests.15Theconceptualframeworksemanatingfrominternational
humanrightslawallowlawmakerstoreevaluatethesepositions,byusingthemasa
comparisontocreatedomesticlegislationthatisroutedinequalityandfairnesswith
respectofhumandignity.

UNConventionontheRightsofPersonswithDisabilitiesArticle12
http://www.un.org/disabilities/countries.asp?navid=17&pid=166accessedon12/11/14
11
TheLunacyRegulation(Ireland)Act,1871
12
RulesoftheSuperiorCourts,Order67,Amended2012
13
Section15ofTheLunacyRegulation(Ireland)Act,1871
14
AssistedDecisionMaking(Capacity)Act2013
15
seeIrishTimes,Tuesday,30October2012andIrishTimesWednesday,31October2012
10

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16

Giventhehousingcrisesofthepastyears,andtheseeminglyleftwingleaningsof
thelastelection,itwouldbeunwisenottoconsidersomemoreradicaltheories.Marx
statedthatthetheoryofCommunismmaybesummedupinonesentence:Abolishall
privateproperty.DasKapital,andtheCommunistManifestoareMarxsfoundationalworks.
Thecapitalistsystembredinequality,andwaswasteful.17Inordertoliberatetheworking
class,andcreateafairersystem,privatepropertycannotexist.18Itwouldappearthat
MarxistsandMarxismhaveverylittleincommon.Thiswasrecentlyhighlightedbythe
socialistpartiesoppositiontoapropertytax,ataxonwealth.1920
IamgoingtolookatMarxism,ratherthantheviewsespousedbyselfidentified
Marxists.TheideathatallpropertyistheftwouldberejectedbythemajorityoftheIrish
population.Howeverifyouaretoexaminehistoryandlookattheestablishmentofthese
rightstheynearlyalwaysoriginatefromviolence.ThedoctrineofTerraNulliusinpublic
internationallawisanexampleofthis,andwasusedtojustifystatesclaimingterritoryon

16

TheHousingAgency,September2011
Marx,EconomicandPhilosophicalManuscripts(1844)
18
TheCommunistManifesto,Marx(1848)
19
http://nohouseholdtax.org/accessedon10/11/14
20
http://claredaly.ie/newhouseholdchargewillfacemassoppositionandboycott/accessedon10/11/14
17

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thebasisthattheformsofownershipdidnotcomparetotheirown.Onthebasisofthis
statesusedviolencetogainandmaintaintheirauthorityovertheland.21
InSeptember2011,therewere98318householdsawaitingsocialhousing,atthe
timeofthisshortageDeutscheBankfiguressuggestthattherewere289,451emptyhouses
inIreland,22highlightingtheunequalnatureofthecapitalistsystem.Theunequal
distributionofresourcesis,bytheframeworksetoutinthecommunistmanifesto,ameans
ofoppressingtheworkingclasses,throughtheaccumulationofwealthandcapital.The
consequencesofcapitalisminIrelandmirrorthosesetoutbyMarx.23
Thecontinuationofthissystem,willleadtothecontinuationoftheconditionsfaced
bytheproletariat.Marxsawcapitalismasastageinhistoricalevolution,24andashumanity
progressedthesolution,communism,wouldnaturallyestablishitself.25Ascapitalism
appropriatedhumanessencethroughprivatepropertyandaccumulationofwealth,
Communismwouldreturnmantoasocialbeing,emancipatingthemasses.Thecommunist
systemwouldembracetheentirewealthofpreviousdevelopment,andredistributeittothe
masses.Marxsawthisasthegenuineresolutionoftheconflictbetweenmanandnature
andbetweenmanandmanthetrueresolutionofthestrifebetweenexistenceand
essence26.
Athirdtheoreticalapproachtopropertyisamoreutilitarianperspective,andrather
thancreatingreformswithinIrishpropertylaw,itcanbeviewedmoreasajustificationfor
thepropertyprotectionsinourownconstitution.BunrachtnahEireannstatesthatThe
Stateacknowledgesthatman,invirtueofhisrationalbeing,hasthenaturalright,
antecedenttopositivelaw,totheprivateownershipofexternalgoods.27Whilemostrights
areunremuneratedintheconstitution,theprotectionofpropertyisexplicit.The
justificationforthisisbasedontheideaofnaturalrights,andthroughaholistic
interpretationoftheconstitution,arightvestedtomanbygod.Thisisproblematic,asitis

21

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/orgs/car/docrec/policy/brief/terran.htmaccessedon10/11/14
http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/itlltakeus43yearstofillallemptyhouses26863864.html
accessedonthe11/10/14
23
Marx,DasKapital,(1867)
24
Marx,TheCommunistManifesto(1848)
25
Marx,TheCommunistManifesto(1848)
26
Marx,EconomicandPhilosophicalManuscripts(1844)
27
BunrachtnahEireann,Article43Section1(1937)
22

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inherentlyexclusionarynonCatholic.Intherecentconstitutionalconvention,oneofthe
mostcommonothersubmissions,wastheseparationofchurchandstate,andamending
theconstitutiontoremovereferencestoaJudaeoChristiangod.28Inordertofulfilthis
amendment,wewouldhavetolookforalternativejustificationstofacilitateourprotection
ofpropertyrights.
JustificationsofpropertyonutilitariangroundsareatleastasoldasHume.29Humes
treatmentisananswertoLocke30propertyisnotanaturalright,itisinitsveryessencea
productofcivilsociety,31thejustificationforitbeingthatcivilsocietyneedsaconceptof
propertyinordertofunction,thiswasnotedbybothBeckerin197032andPennock&
Chapmanlateron33.Bentham,thefatherofutilitarianismexpandsonthisidea,notinghow
dependantpropertyisonsociety.Benthamstatesthatpropertyisnothingbutthebasisof
expectation,entirelybasedinlaw,andfocusedontheideaofderivingadvantagesfroma
thing,byvirtueoftherelationshipapersonholdstotheland.Propertyandlawareborn
together,anddietogether.Beforelawsweremade,therewasnoproperty;takeawaylaws,
andpropertyceases.34
Hecontinuesalongtheideathatitisentirelyasocialconstruct,whichis
metaphysicalandexistsonlyinthemindsofpeople.Youdonotownthepropertyyouown
rightsassociatedwiththepropertywhichisavirtueofsociety.Theexpectationof
advantagecanonlycomefromlaw.Apersoncannotrelyontheadvantageofthatwhich
theyregardastheirs,exceptthroughthelawwhichguaranteesit.35
Benthamrejectstheideathattheseexpectationsareentirelynatural;hestatesthat
whileamanmaybeabletouseland,hispositionisweakandprecariouswithoutthe
respectofotherstorespecthisentitlementtotheland.Thisprincipleheclaimscanbegiven
noothertitlebutlaw,andthatwhilesomeformofexpectationcanbederivedfromother
factors,thestableandstrongexpectationthatestablishestherightscanonlyresultfrom

28

https://www.constitution.ie/Submissions.aspxaccessedon08/11/14
Robbins,LionelAHistoryofEconomicThought:TheLSELectureseditedbyMedemaandSamuels.Ch11
30
SeeJLocke,TwoTreatiesofGovernment(1689)
31
Hume,DavidAnEnquiryConcerningthePrinciplesofMorals(1751)
32
HSBecker,OnMethodology,Chicago(1970)
33
PennockandChapman,Property(1980)
34
JBentham,ATheoryoflegislation(1864)at113
35
JSpankling,UnderstandingProperty(1999)
29

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law.Thatwhichinthenaturalstatewasanalmostinvisiblethread,inthesocialstate
becomesacable.36Benthamstatesthattheexpectationofthisrightisessentialtothe
happinessofasociety,andtoitsfunctioningasawhole.37Whilethishaslittlepragmatic
consequences,itdoeschangethebasisoftheprotectionofprivateproperty,allowingusto
justifyourrightonthebasisofthestate,ratherthansomethingderivedentirelyfromgod.
Thereareamultitudeofconceptsthatcouldbeconsideredherehoweverthethree
setoutinthispaperofferuniquepotentialtoalterthesystemsofland.HumanRights
concepts,thoughonlyemergingareaparticularlypromisingtoreformIrishlandlaw,
creatingafairersystem.ThetheoriesadvocatedbyMarxhavethepotentialtoalterthe
economicconditionsofthepastfewyears.Theutilitarianphilosophyputforwardby
BenthamandHumecouldprovideasecularjustificationfortheliberalprotectionof
propertyinourconstitution.Asstatedintheintroductiontothispaper,enactingthese
reformscouldproveproblematic,howeverthatdoesnotrenderthemanylessworthyof
consideration.

36
37

JBentham,ATheoryofLegislation,(1864)at142
HSmith,TheMoralityofProperty,YLS(2007)

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Bibliography
Legislation
BunreachtnahEireann,Article43Section1(1937)
TheLunacyRegulation(Ireland)Act,1871
RulesoftheSuperiorCourts,Order67,Amended2012
AssistedDecisionMaking(Capacity)Act2013
CaseLaw
MarzarivItaly(1999)28EHRRCD175
HumanRightsInstruments
UniversalDeclarationofHumanRights
EuropeanConventiononHumanRights
ConventionontheRightsofPersonswithDisabilities
Texts
KGray,LandLaw:Issues,Debates,Policy(WilliamPublishing2002)
HSmith,TheMoralityofProperty,YLS(2007)
Robbins,LionelAHistoryofEconomicThought:TheLSELectureseditedbyMedemaandSamuels.
Hume,DavidAnEnquiryConcerningthePrinciplesofMorals(1751)
JLocke,TwoTreatiesofGovernment(1689)
HSBecker,OnMethodology,Chicago(1970)
PennockandChapman,Property(1980)
JBentham,ATheoryoflegislation(1864)
JSpankling,UnderstandingProperty(1999)
Marx,DasKapital,(1867)
Marx,TheCommunistManifesto(1848)
Marx,EconomicandPhilosophicalManuscripts(1844)
MLee,UnfinishedBusinessintheSouthernAfricanDevelopmentCommunity,TheLandCrisisin
SouthernAfrica(2003)
Articles
DSedaris,PossessionTheNewYorker,April19,2004P.100

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TheHousingAgency,September2011
IrishTimes,Tuesday,30October2012andIrishTimesWednesday,31October2012
Websites
https://www.constitution.ie/Submissions.aspx
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/orgs/car/docrec/policy/brief/terran.html
http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/itlltakeus43yearstofillallemptyhouses
26863864.html
http://nohouseholdtax.org/accessedon10/11/14
http://claredaly.ie/newhouseholdchargewillfacemassoppositionandboycott/accessedon
10/11/14
http://www.un.org/disabilities/countries.asp?navid=17&pid=166accessedon12/11/14