Case Reports

An Austrian politician whom a TV programme said was “usually surrounded by little brown rats” suffered no article 6 violation, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled. In its decision in the case of Haupt v. Austria, the European Court of Human Rights has unanimously declared the applicati

A property developer who placed reliance on incorrect measurements contained in an estate agents’ brochure, has had his award of €350,000 in damages for negligent misstatement overturned in the Supreme Court by a 3:2 majority. The Supreme Court found that the estate agents did not owe the man a

A soldier whose parachute failed to open properly on his first training jump, has been awarded €80,000 in damages for injuries sustained because of the Army’s negligence. The soldier suffered a severe fracture dislocation of his ankle, and could no longer serve as a front-line soldier due to thi

In its Chamber judgment in the case of Trabajo Rueda v Spain the European Court of Human Rights held, by six votes to one, that there had been: a violation of article 8 (right to respect for private life) of the European Convention on Human Rights. The case concerned the seizure of Mr Trabajo Rueda�

An asylum seeker who was precluded from taking up an offer of employment, has been successful in the Supreme Court, which found that the absolute prohibition on employment in section 9(4) of the Refugee Act 1996 was unconstitutional. Overturning the findings of the High Court and Court of Appeal, Mr

According to Advocate General Bot, a non-EU national may benefit from a right of residence in the member state in which his EU citizen family member resided before acquiring the nationality of that member state and developing a family life there. In order to guarantee the effectiveness of the rights

The Competition & Consumer Protection Commission has lost their appeal to the Supreme Court regarding the seizure of emails belonging to the former managing director of an Irish company under investigation for anti-competitive behaviour. Upholding the decision of the High Court that the CPCC pro

A Special Needs Assistant has lost her appeal to the Supreme Court, which agreed with the Court of Appeal’s finding that the disciplinary procedures followed by the School were unfair, but did not amount to bullying for which damages should be awarded. The Assistant had initially been awarded over

The Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland has been successful in its appeal to the Supreme Court, which found that any claims against the liquidated insurer, Setanta, must be covered by the State’s Insurance Compensation Fund. Delivering the judgment of the 5:2 majority, Justice O’Donnell found th

An employee of the Health Service Executive has been granted a declaration to the effect that the HSE’s unilateral decision to temporarily reassign her from her role as Area Director of Nursing, Mental Health Services to a position within the Programme Management Office, constituted a breach of he

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has welcomed a landmark Supreme Court ruling that clarifies the rights of disabled students to receive accommodations within the education system. The test case, brought by dyslexic student Kim Cahill, focused on the nature of the duties owed by the Min

Two Irish companies who entered into a funding agreement with a third party which had no bona fide interest in the litigation have had their appeal to the Supreme Court dismissed. Chief Justice Susan Denham held that the funding agreement amounted to unlawful maintenance or champerty, and that to va

A couple who built their house in 2006, despite their application for planning permission being refused by Meath County Council, have been ordered by the Supreme Court to remove their dwelling and restore the lands to their pre-development condition. Describing the couple as having a “reckless dis

A woman has been awarded over £50,000 in damages after another driver drove into the back of her car, resulting in £3,000 worth of repairs. In the High Court in Belfast, evidence was adduced that the woman was impecunious, was unable to foot the bill for the repairs; and that she could not afford

A woman who was awarded a lump sum of €3.8 million, in addition to substantial property and monthly payments of €20,000, has had her case dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Delivering the judgment of the Court, Ms Justice Irvine held that the personal and financial misconduct of the woman’s ex-