Mason Hayes & Curran is the headline sponsor of the event, the largest public law conference ever held in Ireland. It takes place at University College Dublin from 29 June to 1 July.

Hosted by UCD Sutherland School of Law and the UCD Centre for Constitutional Studies, ICON-S 2026 will examine the legal issues shaping public law and governance today.

Catherine Allen, partner and head of public, regulatory and investigations at Mason Hayes & Curran, said: “Public bodies are operating in a more demanding environment. Decisions are being tested more often, and the legal framework around them matters more than ever.

“ICON-S brings leading international voices to Dublin to examine how public decision-making is being tested in practice. We are supporting the conference because that debate has direct relevance for the decisions our clients face every day.”

The conference theme is “Reimagining Public Law for a Fractured World: Technology, Identity & Truth”. The programme will examine how public law responds to pressure on democratic institutions and the legal questions raised by new technologies.

Professor Imelda Maher, dean and head of UCD Sutherland School of Law, commented: “Hosting ICON-S in Dublin is a significant moment for Irish public law. It brings international focus to the issues now shaping public institutions and the people who work within them. The conference creates space for serious discussion between scholars and practitioners on how legal systems respond when public trust is tested.”

Professor Eoin Carolan, Conference Organising Committee member and director of the Centre for Constitutional Studies at University College Dublin, said: “The scale of ICON-S 2026 shows the growing importance of public law in addressing the pressures facing modern states. Questions about power, rights, regulation and institutional design now arise across almost every area of public life. The conference will give the Irish legal community access to international expertise, while also allowing Ireland to contribute to the wider debate.”