Advanced Diploma in Quasi–Judicial Decision–Making

INTRODUCTION

The range of entities making independent decisions over a multiplicity of complaints, disputes and entitlements is ever–increasing. Tribunals, adjudicators, disciplinary panels, ombudsmen, and a gamut of appeals bodies are keystones of both public and, to a growing extent, private administration in Ireland. These quasi–judicial decision–makers walk an often tricky line between procedures adapted to their area of dispute resolution, the need for efficiency and speed, and the dominant requirement of due process.

As well as the law of due process, these decision–makers require a mastery of judge craft. This course teaches both.

PROGRAMME AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

This course aims to equip participants with the practical skills required to discharge the quasi–judicial decision–making processes. In particular, participants will:

1. Develop strategies to ensure fair hearings in a range of malleable and often unpredictable contexts;
2. Develop principled approaches to ensure that all parties are properly heard through the eliciting, parsing, probing and evaluating of relevant evidence;
3. Hone skills to bolster the decision–maker’s actual and perceived independence and to instil confidence in the process over which they preside;
4. Develop a thorough understanding of the extent and limits of their role and powers;
5. Develop strategies to manage the dynamics of a hearing, including where vulnerable witnesses or an imbalance of legal representation arises;
6. Acquire the ability to judge when adjournments (and other procedural requests) should and should not be granted;
7. Hone analytical and writing skills to ensure robust, adequately reasoned decisions;
8. Critically evaluate and implement due process requirements in diverse and dynamic hearing contexts, allowing participants to implement ongoing organisational and personal improvements in practice.

Application Deadline: Midnight (Irish time) on Sunday, September 28, 2025