News

The Irish Government's emergency coronavirus bill should be time-limited or include a "sunset clause", the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has said. The Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Bill 2020 is due to be introduced in the Dá

Proposals to limit legacy investigations in order to protect former British soldiers from "vexatious claims" could land the UK government in court, human rights lawyers have warned. Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis yesterday set out the government's proposals to establish a new independent b

Barrister Andrew McKeown has joined the Irish Legal News team as the daily news service for lawyers north and south of the border continues to grow its readership. Mr McKeown is writing regular summaries of judgments from the Irish, Northern Ireland and European courts for the ILN newsletter and onl

A round-up of deals involving Irish law firms. Submit your deals to newsdesk@irishlegal.com. European law firm Fieldfisher has advised Simply Blue Energy on a joint venture agreement with Total to develop floating wind projects in the Welsh waters off the Celtic Sea.

The lack of progress on establishing a specialist Traffic Court in Northern Ireland has been criticised by the criminal justice watchdog. Jacqui Durkin, chief inspector of criminal justice, said she was disappointed that the court "has not at least been piloted".

There will be no further oral hearings of cases listed before the Chancery and Probate Master until further notice as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. Solicitors acting for banks and building societies have been invited to submit a written submission by email in respect of every case they have

Applications for the registration of an enduring power of attorney will not have to be personally served due to coronavirus restrictions, the president of the High Court has said. Mr Justice Peter Kelly yesterday issued a practice direction which will remain in force "until further notice".

Alma Clissmann of the Law Reform Commission sets out the body's recent work to maintain an online list of in-force legislation. The Law Reform Commission’s online Classified List of In-Force Legislation went live in January this year and is available on the Commission’s website here.

The remains of an indigenous couple which were taken from their grave in Canada and shipped to Scotland nearly 200 years ago have been repatriated. Edinburgh explorer William Eppes Cormack took the skulls of Chief Nonosabasut and his wife Demasduit from a grave in Newfoundland in 1828.

A convicted murderer has failed in an appeal based on the use of bad character evidence in his trial. Darren Murphy was charged with the murder of Olivia Dunlea at her home in Passage West, Cork on 17 February 2013. He pleaded not guilty to murder, but guilty to manslaughter. The plea was not accept

The Courts Service of Ireland has issued updated statements regarding hearings in the High Court, Circuit Court and District Court, which is reproduced in full below. The High Court

The Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland has taken measures to reduce the number of people attending court from today. The latest update, issued yesterday evening, is reproduced in full below. The Lord Chief Justice met yesterday with representatives of the legal profession to discuss measures to

The UK government has come under sharp criticism after unilaterally announcing a new approach to legacy investigations which would "protect veterans from vexatious claims". Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis today set out the government's proposals following a six-month consultation in 2018, w

Writing for Irish Legal News, barrister Andrew McKeown explores the provisions of the Irish Government's emergency coronavirus bill. The Government has published a Bill “to make exceptional provision, in the public interest and having regard to the manifest and grave risk to human life and pub

Police and immigration officers across the UK will be given powers to detain and isolate people to protect public health under emergency measures designed to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. The Emergency Coronavirus Bill, to be introduced at Westminster on Thursday, will set out various measures wh