News

The Lord Chief Justice, Sir Declan Morgan, has warned that the UK government's declared plan to break international law may undermine trust in the government and the administration of justice. Northern Ireland's top judge was sharply critical of government ministers in an interview due to be br

Human rights lawyer Noeline Blackwell, who heads Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC), has been appointed to the governing body of University College Dublin (UCD) in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal. Ms Blackwell's appointment was announced by Higher Education Minister Simon Harris

Ireland's national DNA database assisted in over 1,000 criminal cases last year, according to the latest annual report from Forensic Science Ireland (FSI). The database, which was established in 2015, contained 27,565 DNA profiles at the end of 2019, a dramatic 53 per cent increase from 17,994 in th

Mr Justice Séamus Woulfe has met former Chief Justice Susan Denham as part of her investigation into his attendance at a controversial dinner which broke COVID-19 rules. Mr Justice Woulfe was accompanied by Michael Collins SC at the meeting, which was also attended by Shane Murphy SC, accordi

Tasers should be made more widely available to frontline PSNI officers despite the force failing to record its use of force accurately, a watchdog has said. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) today published its report on the PSNI's treatment of its workforce and the people of N

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has told Oireachtas members that emergency legislation related to COVID-19 must be used only exceptionally and be subject to strict human rights standards and oversight. Chief commissioner Sinéad Gibney and commission member Sunniva McDonagh

The Law Reform Commission has published a new discussion paper on Ireland's domestic implementation of international obligations. The paper does not include recommendations and instead aims to assist policymakers, the Oireachtas, statutory bodies, NGOs and academics to understand the development of

The Maples Group has announced its sponsorship of The Eagle, a legal publication run by students at Trinity College Dublin (TCD). The sponsorship is part of a programme supporting a number of student initiatives across national universities and the Maples Group say they are

English nationalism has led to an "economic united Ireland", Belfast solicitor Niall Murphy has said. In an interview with The Irish Times, Mr Murphy, a partner at KRW LAW LLP, called for more work to explore the practicalities of Irish unity.

A police dog reared from a puppy into an "absolute unit" has been retired before his first day of duty for being too "sweet-natured". Balou was eight weeks old when acquired by police in Bremerhaven, Germany, and was trained for nearly a year-and-a-half, The Times reports.

Jonathan Kelly has been named as the new managing partner of Philip Lee, taking over the leadership of the law firm from its founder of the same name. Philip Lee, who founded the firm in 1993 and oversaw its growth into a full-service commercial law firm with offices in Dublin, London, Brussels and

Senior civil servant Oonagh McPhillips has taken on the role of secretary general of the Department of Justice and Equality. Ms McPhillips will succeed outgoing secretary general Aidan O'Driscoll, who is retiring after a 43-year career, for a seven-year term.

Health Minister Robin Swann has announced that he is calling a statutory public inquiry into the abuse reported at Muckamore Abbey Hospital. The inquiry follows two reports into the abuse at the hospital, and comes alongside an ongoing major police investigation.

Conversion therapy for LGBT people is set to be banned in Northern Ireland under plans agreed between ministers yesterday. Communities Minister Carál Ni Chuilín yesterday agreed to take the policy lead on the issue at a meeting with colleagues Health Minister Robin Swann and Justice Mi

The long-running inquiry into the NAMA scandal has been extended for a further three months until the end of 2020. The NAMA Commission of Investigation, led by John D. Cooke SC, was established by the Irish government in June 2017 and was originally due to deliver its final report by the end of June