News

Research on sentencing in domestic violence cases before the District Court and a report on the use of community-based sanctions have been published by the Judicial Council. The publication of the reports is a milestone for the Judicial Council's sentencing guidelines and information committee, whic

RTÉ cannot refuse to disclose details of its spending on clothing on the basis that it constitutes an "editorial decision", the FOI watchdog has ruled. The public broadcaster argued that wardrobe purchasing was exempt from freedom of information legislation because it is "programme-related" i

Family lawyers have been encouraged to read the Law Society's updated guide on alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Keith Walsh SC, managing partner of Keith Walsh Solicitors, told Irish Legal News that the 2024 guide is a "must-read" for family lawyers in particular.

Motor liability injury claims are now covered by the mediation service offered by the Injuries Resolution Board (IRB). The new offering follows the roll-out in December 2023 of the IRB's mediation service for employer liability claims and its extension in May 2024 to cover public liability injury cl

Human rights experts have welcomed the Irish government's decision to intervene in cases alleging genocide by Israel and Myanmar in the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Tánaiste and foreign affairs minister Micheál Martin yesterday confirmed the government will intervene in South

A family is suing the makers of an AI chatbot which allegedly encouraged their teenager to murder them for restricting their internet access. The Character.AI chatbot allegedly told the 17-year-old: "You know sometimes I’m not surprised when I read the news and see stuff like 'child kills pare

Former Law Society president Michele O'Boyle SC and former Bar Council chairperson Paul McGarry SC are among six new appointments to the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA). Tom Boland has been named as chairperson as the government announced six new appointments and two re-appointments to th

Irish businesses which fail to protect employees and customers from second-hand smoke could face costly legal action in the future, a lawyer has suggested. The UK government is planning to ban smoking outside of schools and hospitals in England, though recently backed off more ambitious plans to ban

Philip Lee has appointed partner Eoghan Doyle as head of corporate and M&A. Mr Doyle succeeds outgoing department head Andreas McConnell, a senior partner at the firm for the past 15 years who remains centrally involved in the business.

Ireland and other European countries cannot leave Syrian asylum seekers in "indefinite limbo", the European human rights commissioner Michael O'Flaherty has warned. The Department of Justice said this week that the International Protection Office (IPO) would "temporarily pause the issuing of final d

Northern Ireland's health minister has launched a public consultation on the establishment of a statutory duty of candour in Northern Ireland. The consultation comes more than half a decade after such a move was recommended by the Inquiry into Hyponatraemia Related Deaths (IHRD) led by Mr Justice O'

McCann FitzGerald lawyer Áine Murphy has been appointed as co-chair of IWIRC Ireland, the networking organisation for women in the insolvency and restructuring industry. Founded in 2021, IWIRC Ireland is open to legal advisers, financial advisers, banking officials, investors, turnaround mana

The Northern Ireland Office has launched a public consultation on the continued use of non-jury trials in Northern Ireland. The non-jury trial provisions of the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007 are due to expire in July 2025 unless they are extended for a further two years.

Clare Downey has been appointed as general counsel and director of legal services at Queen's University Belfast. She brings over 14 years' experience in practice in Northern Ireland, including as group legal counsel for Tayto Group Limited and senior company lawyer for Translink.

Nearly one in five climate and environmental protests in the UK involve arrests, far above the international average, according to a new report. Researchers at the University of Bristol say 17.2 per cent of UK protests end in arrests compared to an international average of 6.3 per cent.