News

Adventurer Bear Grylls is facing a fine of up to €2,500 after he caught, killed, gutted and boiled a frog for a television show. Grylls, 44, was accused by officials in Bulgaria, where the show was filmed, of violating local laws protecting flora and fauna.

The former chief executive of Irish Life & Permanent, who was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud, has lost an appeal against his conviction. Explaining the parameters of the defence of “officially induced error”, Mr Justice Peter Charleton found nothing in the evidence to sup

Co Kildare firm McCormack Solicitors has announced the appointment of Sarah Pierce as a partner. Ms Pierce joined the Newbridge-based firm last year, having spent many years practising in the local area.

The first settlement in a catastrophic injury case with provision for periodic payments has been approved by the High Court. It comes nearly five months after parts 1, 2 and 3 of the Civil Liability (Amendment) Act 2017, providing for periodic payment orders, were commenced last October.

The Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland (PPS) has launched a consultation seeking the views of the public on its new guidelines for the prosecution of young offenders. The new policy document provides information on the general principles, commitments and associated work practices the PP

The Mental Health Commission has said it will use "all powers necessary" to ensure compliance with the law, following a year-long period of transformation. The Commission yesterday launched its 2019-2022 Strategy, Protecting People’s Rights, charting a four-year plan to realise its new vision

Jason O'Sullivan, principal and founder of J.O.S Solicitors, compares the Brexit timetable to the time taken to negotiate Greenland's exit from the EEC. The British Prime Minister Theresa May has returned to Brussels in her audacious bid to secure “alternatives” to the much maligned and

The Department of Justice has published a consultation which includes proposed measures to strengthen the law to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse. The consultation invites views on current laws which protect children from sexual exploitation and proposed measures to strengthen som

Senior lawyers have urged judges to learn the meanings of emojis, symbols used in instant messaging applications. The digital images are appearing in more and more criminal, family and employment hearings.

Amnesty International has welcomed a report calling on the UK Government to legalise same-sex marriage in British Overseas Territories (OTs) as strengthening the case for legislation in Northern Ireland. The House of Commons foreign affairs committee has called for all OTs to legalise same-sex marri

An Garda Síochána recruits outside the General Post Office 1954 Source: Alison Cassidy Family Collection (GNU Free Documentation License)

The definition of secured debt advanced by a Personal Insolvency Practitioner in the High Court clearly did not work when read in the context of the Insolvency Act 2012 as a whole. Stating that Personal Insolvency Practitioners were not required to “work miracles” to protect a debtor's p

Commercial law firm Philip Lee has appointed Eimear Fitzgibbon as partner in the real estate and planning department. Ms Fitzgibbon, who joined the firm in 2006, specialises in commercial property law, acting for development companies, institutional clients, funders and investors.

A bill to introduce stricter penalties for repeat sexual offenders has cleared both stages in the Oireachtas. The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2018 introduces presumptive minimum sentences for repeat sex offenders and also corrects an anomaly in the law of incest by equalising the

The Law Society of Northern Ireland has announced the retirement of its chief executive, Alan Hunter. Mr Hunter, who has held the post for 11 years, will work with the Law Society Council over the coming weeks to assist with the appointment of a successor.