News

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald The Criminal Assets Bureau returned almost €4 million to the Exchequer in 2014, according to its nineteenth Annual Report, which was presented to the Oireachtas today by Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald.

President Michael D Higgins A row over the name used in the posthumous pardon of Harry Gleeson has been referred to the Department of the Taoiseach.

A judgment in the case of an Irish man fighting a deportation order based on his alleged involvement with a terrorist group will be made "as soon as possible", the judge presiding over his case has said. However, the Court of Appeal yesterday heard that further hearings in the case were unlikely to

Environment Minister Mark H Durkan The Northern Ireland Assembly has approved far-reaching legislation designed to tackle drink driving by introducing tighter restrictions, a graduated penalty scheme and greater police powers.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has sought a meeting with the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) following reports that it accessed journalists' mobile phone records during an inquiry into internal media leaks. GSOC has refused to comment on reports that new powers were used to acc

Employers are entitled to read private messages sent over the internet by employees during work, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has ruled. Judges ruled a company had the right to read an employee's messages sent via Yahoo Messenger during working hours.

IHREC Chief Commissioner Emily Logan The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child will tomorrow consider evidence on Ireland's status in complying with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

A man has lost an appeal against his conviction for murder after unsuccessfully arguing the trial judge had incorrectly advised the jury as to the standard of proof in relation to the defence of diminished responsibility. Joseph Heffernan appealed to the Court of Appeal against his conviction for th

IFA national chairman Jer Bergin The Irish Farmers Association has challenged Irish political parties to commit to stricter sentences and law enforcement to tackle rural crime.

A group campaigning for the extension of the Abortion Act 1967 to Northern Ireland has condemned the prosecution of a 21-year-old woman for procuring an abortion. The woman, from Co Down, appeared in Belfast Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with two offences under the Offences Against the Person

A woman has been granted leave for a judicial review against the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) over its decision to reinstate an officer under investigation in connection with her son's death, the Belfast Telegraph reports. The Public Prosecution Service is still considering the findings

Court of Appeal judge Lord Justice Briggs Plans for online courts that would remove lawyers and judges from disputes would allow people to settle disagreements of up to £25,000 according to a new report.

A retired Central Criminal Court judge who brought a judicial review over rules preventing him resuming practice as a barrister has been asked to disclose his financial affairs, The Irish Times reports. Barry White, 71, is challenging the Bar Council of Ireland, the Justice Minister and the State ov

President Michael D Higgins The grand-nephew of Harry Gleeson, the first person in Irish history to be awarded a posthumous pardon, has criticised the Government for using the wrong name on the instrument.

Northern Ireland's Justice Minister David Ford has met with the judges of the 2016 Justice in the Community Awards ahead of the close of nominations next month. Mr Ford has encouraged members of the public to submit nominations for the awards, which are now in their fifth year, by 1 February 2016.