Lessons for Irish Reunification from Germany

Prof. Tobias Lock gives a detailed examination of the constitutional and legal processes behind German reunification to highlight the substantial legal challenges that Irish unification would entail. Similar to German reunification, achieving Irish unity would necessitate negotiations at multiple levels: domestic, bilateral, and international, including with the EU. This process would involve integrating two distinct legal systems, addressing issues ranging from the routine to the contentious. Although the specific issues will differ between Germany and Ireland, Prof. Tobias Lock argues that the legal techniques used in Germany, such as frontloading, transition periods, and conflict rules could also be effectively applied to Irish unification. About the Speaker: Tobias Lock is a Professor of Law at Maynooth University and the founding director of the Maynooth Centre for European Law. From 2020-2023, he held the Jean Monnet Chair in EU Law and Fundamental Rights. Originally from Germany, Prof. Lock previously taught at the University of Edinburgh. His research focuses on EU constitutional and fundamental rights law, comparative constitutional law, and the relationship between EU law, domestic law, and international law. He is an EU law adviser to the Scottish Parliament and a member of the Royal Irish Academy’s ARINS project.