News

The Law Society of Ireland has welcomed the recommendations of review of protections for vulnerable witnesses in the investigation and prosecution of sexual offences. A number of the recommendations in the Law Society's submission to the review last May have been incorporated in its final report, pu

Barrister Caroline Gill has been appointed as a consumer director to the board of the Investor Compensation Company DAC (ICCL). The independent body, established under the Investor Compensation Act 1998, is Ireland's statutory "fund of last resort" for customers of authorised investment firms.

Cabinet has approved a bill to transpose the criminal justice elements of the Fifth EU Money Laundering Directive and strengthen existing legislation. Justice Minister Helen McEntee, announcing the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Bill 2020, said: "I look forwa

The Property Registration Authority (PRA) has announced the reopening of the registry of deeds for access to pre-1970 records. Access to the registry is available from today on an appointment basis only, with appointments made via a new online booking system.

Eric Brouwer, trainee solicitor at LK Shields LLP, comments on the state of the Irish crypto market. Operating in the Irish crypto market remains a challenge. Unlike in other jurisdictions where regulatory clarity has been provided, in Ireland, crypto businesses continue to operate in a grey area.

Proposals to reform trade union legislation in Northern Ireland for the first time since devolution have gone out to consultation. The Trade Union Freedom Bill, brought forward by People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll, aims to "allow trade unions to strike more efficiently and effectively".

Northern Ireland surveyors expect their workload to continue to decline in the next 12 months, according to a survey conducted by RICS and law firm Tughans. The Q2 2020 RICS & Tughans Construction and Infrastructure market survey results predictably show a contraction in output in Northern Irela

Downing Street is planning to set prosecution targets in rape cases for police and lawyers, according to reports. The Prime Minister's crime and justice taskforce is to set targets for police to refer evidentially strong rape cases to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), The Guardian reports.

Amnesty International has warned that plans to deploy the Navy to prevent asylum seekers crossing the English Channel would be "unlawful, reckless and dangerous". Home Secretary Priti Patel has tasked Dan O'Mahoney, director of the joint maritime security centre and a former Royal Marine, with preve

Government officials and politicians in Ukraine have reportedly been encouraged to pre-book "VIP cells" in the event of their arrest. Remand centres in over a dozen cities are now offering gift certificates for "luxury cells", which are valid for six months from purchase, the BBC reports.

There is reason to be "cautiously optimistic" about a rise in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the second half of 2020, a senior corporate lawyer has said. Stephen Keogh, head of corporate and M&A at William Fry, said 2020 is "likely to represent one of the lowest, if not the lowes

Barristers' chambers Francis Taylor Building has announced the appointment of Professor Gordon Anthony of Queen's University Belfast as an academic tenant. Professor Anthony, an expert in public law and a qualified barrister in Northern Ireland, joins the chambers' academic panel, which aims to "fos

Belfast solicitor Ian Coulter, former head of one of Northern Ireland's largest commercial law firms, has denied fraud offences linked to the sale of NAMA's Northern Ireland property loan book in 2014. The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) yesterday announced that Mr Coulter, 49, and businessman Fran

An Garda Síochána's response to domestic abuse during the COVID-19 crisis is "the best it has ever been in Ireland", a new report suggests. The Policing Authority yesterday published its half-year assessment of policing performance, which highlights in particular the success of Operati

A full recording of yesterday afternoon's Irish Legal News webinar on data protection in the post-pandemic world is now available online.