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The first review of the Civil Legal Aid Scheme since its introduction in 1979 has been published. Publishing both majority and minority reports from the Independent Review Group, the justice, home affairs and migration minister Jim O’Callaghan said: “Access to justice is a fundamental ri

The Children’s Ombudsman has accused the Government of failing child victims of domestic and sexual violence and of treating his office with disrespect, following a dispute over the funding of a monitoring role linked to the State’s flagship domestic abuse strategy. Dr Niall Muldoon said

Bird & Bird has moved to its new Irish headquarters at the top of Grafton St. at 124 St Stephen’s Green, in the heart of Dublin. The firm represents many of the world’s leading brands and launched its Irish operation in mid-2022 as part of a strategy to position the country as a stra

The International Court of Justice has delivered a landmark advisory opinion on the obligations of states in the face of the climate emergency.  The decision delivers historic protections that strengthen the responsibilities of states under international law beyond the Paris Agreement, with sev

Destruction in Bat Yam after an Iranian missile strike Credit: Yoav Keren, CC BY-SA 3.0

Donald Trump and senior officials in his administration have been accused of defying the courts in more than a third of the lawsuits in which judges have issued substantive rulings against them, according to a Washington Post investigation. The findings, based on a review of 337 lawsuits filed again

Ireland’s military intelligence unit is seeking enhanced surveillance powers to counter threats to national security, as it undergoes a significant restructuring and rebranding, The Irish Times reports. Formerly known as J2, the unit has adopted the name Irish Military Intelligence Service (IM

District Court judge Brian O’Shea, who has presided over courts in the southeast, has stepped down from the bench to resume his practice at the bar. Speaking to The Irish Times, Mr O’Shea confirmed he would return to practice in the higher courts from next week. He had originally intende

Pervasive overcrowding, violence and inadequate mental healthcare remain serious problems in the Irish prison system, according to a major new report. The Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) today published its main findings following a visit to five Irish prisons and o

Jim O'Callaghan has been accused of peddling a "fantasy" after promising legislation allowing for the interception of messages sent on encrypted platforms like WhatsApp or Signal. The justice, home affairs and migration minister last week said in a speech that a new Communications (Interception

A man who allegedly ran a fake embassy for a country that does not exist has been arrested. Harsh Vardhan Jain claimed to be the Indian ambassador for various non-existent countries, including "West Arctica, Saborga, Poulvia and Lodonia".

One of the so-called 'Sallins Men' has returned to court for the first time in 45 years in a bid to have his conviction formally declared a miscarriage of justice. Belfast firm KRW LAW is acting on behalf of Osgur Breatnach, one of the six men arrested and allegedly beaten by gardaí following

Social media platform Bluesky now has an Irish point of contact for requests under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA). Bluesky previously listed a Belgian point of contact for competent authorities of the EU and EU member states and welcomed queries in English or French.

The UK parliament's justice committee is today launching a new inquiry into access to justice in England and Wales. MPs on the cross-party committee, chaired by Labour MP Andy Slaughter, will examine the current state of the legal services and representation market, and how it affects access to just

A non-statutory inquiry into the historical licensing and use of sodium valproate, also known as Epilim, in women of childbearing potential has commenced. Sodium valproate can cause birth defects, neuro-developmental disorders and autism in children whose mothers take it during pregnancy.