News

The Home Office's widely-condemned "hostile environment" measures breached equality law with particular impact on black members of the Windrush generation, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has said. The equality watchdog's new assessment highlights that that the negative consequences

The government has come under renewed pressure to ratify a UN treaty on torture following a critical report on conditions in Irish prisons, psychiatric facilities and social care homes. The Council of Europe's committee on the prevention of torture (CPT) yesterday published a report based on its vis

Judicial reviews sought by the Good Law Project have proceeded to the next stage. The High Court allowed two separate claims to proceed. One concerns the UK government's transparency obligations and the other a challenge, made with EveryDoctor, against the government's decision to award contracts to

A former gymnast has reportedly defected from North Korea to the south by vaulting a three-metre high border fence. South Korean media said officials who found and detained the man were so astonished they asked him twice to show his jumping skills.

Earlier this month, Ms Justice Mary Irvine, President of the High Court, made an order striking a solicitor from the Roll of Solicitors. The judgment has now been published. Background

Cork solicitor Dean Cunningham has announced the launch of a new law firm aimed at bringing together expertise in IT, software, entrepreneurship and the law. Mr Cunningham has over 10 years’ experience in the legal, technology and start-up sectors, and considers himself to have an entrepreneur

The Bar Council of Ireland is challenging an attempt by Dublin City Council to force around 150 barristers to return €750,000 in grants aimed at supporting businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. The local authority yesterday asked barristers to repay grants received through the Restart Grant

Judge Stephen Fowler QC has been appointed as Recorder of Belfast, the most senior County Court judge in Northern Ireland. He succeeds Judge David McFarland QC, who has held the post since 2012 and was elevated to the High Court earlier this month.

The Oireachtas justice committee should include a review of the judicial appointments process in its work programme for 2021, its chairperson has said. Chairperson James Lawless, a qualified barrister and Fianna Fáil TD for Kildare North, told The Irish Times that the committee should make re

Proposals to retrospectively tax the Covid Pandemic Unemployment Payment may breach the Constitution, legal rights group FLAC has warned. A legal opinion prepared by FLAC's lawyers in relation to section 3 of the Finance Bill 2020 has been circulated to TDs and Senators ahead of the bill's considera

The Dáil is expected to reject a motion proposing the removal of Mr Justice Séamus Woulfe from the Supreme Court bench by a large margin. A removal motion submitted by socialist TDs Paul Murphy and Bríd Smith is due to be debated this week, but both government and opposition par

Senator Ivana Bacik, a qualified barrister and legal academic, makes the case for the government to support the Labour Party's Citizenship Bill. Throughout the past year, despite the horrific consequences of the Covid-19 epidemic for so many individuals, families and societies, both in this country

A number of properties in Northern Ireland have been seized by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers, working as part of the Paramilitary Crime Task Force (PCTF), following a High Court order.

The parents of Harry Dunn have failed in their High Court battle against the Foreign Office over whether the alleged killer of their son enjoyed diplomatic immunity. Mr Dunn, 19, was killed in a hit-and-run in 2019 when his motorcycle was hit by a car near Croughton, Northamptonshire. The car was dr

A man who held a cardboard sign with a smiley face outside of a police station has been arrested for taking part in an illegal protest. Jolovan Wham was arrested in Singapore after the brief one-man demonstration in solidarity with arrested climate activists, The Guardian reports.