News

The first major update to the National Planning Framework (NPF) has been approved by the Oireachtas. It marks the conclusion of a revision process which started in June 2023 and which the government says will accelerate the delivery of housing.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) would be allowed to hold on to DNA and fingerprint evidence for longer when related to terror investigations under proposals currently out for consultation. Northern Ireland's Department of Justice is seeking views on proposed changes to a part of the Po

Northern Ireland's Department of Justice has launched a public consultation on a proposed nine per cent increase in civil court fees, spread over the next three years. The majority of court fees were raised by nine per cent in November 2023 and by a further nine per cent in October 2024 in response

A&L Goodbody has entered a three-year strategic partnership with NOW Group, a multi-award-winning social enterprise supporting people who are neurodiverse, autistic, have ADHD or have a learning disability, in finding jobs with a future. As part of the partnership, the firm will become a JAM (Ju

Dozens of people have been removed from Ireland to Georgia in the second deportation charter flight carried out since their resumption earlier this year. A total of 39 Georgian nationals were returned on the flight which left Dublin Airport on Wednesday night and landed in Tbilisi, Georgia Thur

Global law firm Kennedys has promoted Mark Dunne to partner in the firm's Dublin office. Mr Dunne is a commercial litigator and specialises in insurance disputes, advising both insurers and insureds across a range of areas, from policy wording interpretation and property damage claims to proceedings

McCann FitzGerald LLP has appointed nine new partners, taking its total to 94. In Dublin, the new partners are Marie-Alice Cleary and Patrick Longworth in the litigation group, Edel Corry in the real estate group, and Liane Egan, Ronan Murphy and Mark O’Connor in the finance group.

An enormous anti-Trump protest artwork has been etched into the beach next to the US president's Turnberry golf course in Scotland. The sand art, measuring 55 metres by 40 metres, was created by Greenpeace UK to mark 100 days of Donald Trump's second stint in the White House.

Human rights lawyer Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC has joined the Reuters Institute at the University of Oxford as a visiting fellow. Ms Gallagher will be a visiting fellow from April to June 2025, during which time she will focus on the pressing issue of impunity for journalists’ deaths, and on cre

The Law Society of Northern Ireland has welcomed the justice minister and the head of Ulster University School of Law to the first event held by its recently-launched Women's Network. The "Overcoming Challenges Throughout a Career into Female Leadership" event at Law Society House drew legal profess

An advocacy group for families with loved ones in nursing homes has accused the government of failing to meet its human rights obligations with its investigation into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on nursing homes. Professor Anne Scott was appointed by the government in November 2024 to carry

Legislative plans for the "most significant reform of Irish asylum laws in the history of the State" have been set out by the minister for justice. Jim O'Callaghan yesterday secured government approval to publish the general scheme of the International Protection Bill 2025, which will ultimately rep

The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has appointed former Green Party TD and junior minister Joe O’Brien as its new executive director. Mr O'Brien brings a wealth of political and community sector experience to the role, including over 20 years working in policy, advocacy, frontli

Dame Brenda King has been reappointed as attorney general for Northern Ireland for a further five years. Having been first appointed in 2020, her term of appointment will now expire on 30 June 2030.

Commercial and insurance law specialist firm HF has appointed Pat Flynn as a strategic adviser in Irish markets. Mr Flynn, who founded business law firm Flynn O'Driscoll in 2002 and maintains a consultancy practice, will assist HF Ireland as it seeks to grow through M&A activity as well as via o