News

Northern Ireland's Justice Minister David Ford has launched a public consultation on the creation of a new offence of domestic abuse. The specific offence would relate to patterns of coercive and controlling behaviour in intimate relationships.

Niall Collins, FF spokesperson on justice Fianna Fáil has reiterated that it would create an Irish sentencing council if it is returned to power, in a bid to impose harsher sentences on serious offenders.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has hit back at criticism of his party's plans to scrap the juryless Special Criminal Court, saying that a witness protection scheme would address safety concerns in terror cases.

Justice Minister David Ford Northern Ireland's Justice Minister David Ford has said responsibility for a failure to properly fund legacy investigations in Northern Ireland should fall on the shoulders of the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) and not the Department of Justice.

Victims support group Relatives For Justice (RFJ) will host the Pat Finucane Memorial Lecture in Belfast on Thursday. The lecture is headlined "Victims' right to truth, national security & dealing with the past: When does legitimate state secrecy become cover-up?"

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan The Green Party has been granted leave to bring a judicial review against public broadcaster RTÉ over its exclusion from televised general election debates.

The Member of Parliament for Fermanagh and South Tyrone has been awarded £48,750.00 after a Sinn Féin politician posted a defamatory statement about him on Twitter in May 2014. Philip Flanagan, a Sinn Féin MLA, published a tweet about Thomas Elliot MP, a member of the Ulster Unionist Party.

Emily Logan, IHREC chief commissioner The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) has said the conclusions of a new UN report form a "clear ‘to do’ list for the State".

Alan Shatter Former justice secretary Alan Shatter has said a Sinn Féin election commitment to scrap the juryless Special Criminal Court would endanger jurors, the Irish Independent reports.

Pictured (l-r): David O'Donnell and Frank O'Flynn Dublin law firm Mason Hayes & Curran (MHC) has announced the appointment of Frank O'Flynn as a partner in its corporate team.

UK Supreme Court President Lord Neuberger A Conservative think tank has condemned increasing fees of more than £1,000 an hour charged by City law firms for restricting access to justice.

High Court judge Mr Justice Adrian Colton is expected to replaceLord Justice Weir as presiding judge of the Coroners' Court next week, UTV News reports. Lord Weir took on the role on a temporary basis following the retirement of senior coroner John Leckey last year.

David Isaac, chair of the Diversity Steering Group at Pinsent Masons International law firm Pinsent Masons has been ranked one of the top five most inclusive employers in the 2016 Stonewall Workplace Equality Index.

The High Court has refused an application from a man who sought an order of certiorarior declaration in relation to an order made following an appeal against his conviction for harassing his ex-wife. Sean Carraher claimed that the hearing had been fundamentally flawed on the grounds that Garda witne

Deirdre Malone, chief executive of the Irish Penal Reform Trust The passage of the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions and Certain Disclosures) Bill 2012 through the Oireachtas has been hailed as a “historic step” for Ireland.