News

Alistair Kinley of commercial and insurance law specialists BLM considers the latest developments on the personal injury discount rate in Northern Ireland. At last Friday’s meeting of the justice committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly it was reported that the minister had obtained the agre

The UK government has racked up a £5.8 million legal bill in its bid to keep control of the Chagos Islands, which the international community recognises as part of Mauritius. British authorities retained possession of the islands after Mauritius gained independence in 1968 and now refers to th

A plea has been made to the United Nations to send a fact-finding mission to India over alleged human rights abuses of farmers in the Punjab. Tens of thousands of people have been demonstrating for more than two months for the repeal of farm laws which were passed last September and which protestors

Police dogs will benefit from a state pension for the first time under proposals from the Polish government. Retiring service animals in Poland are typically adopted by their former handlers, sold or cared for by charities.

The High Court has granted an order for post-accident discovery of a plaintiff’s medical records in a personal injuries action and reaffirmed the position that post-accident discovery may be granted in line with the usual rules of discovery. In making the order, the court clarified the decisio

Justice Minister Helen McEntee has outlined 240 actions to "build a justice system that works for everyone" in the first of a planned series of annual justice plans. The Justice Plan 2021 is built on five key goals, which are also shared with a wider three-year statement of strategy for the Departme

Women and families affected by mother and baby homes should play a key role in drafting a new law to provide dignified burials for victims left in mass graves, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has said. The rights watchdog has provided an Oireachtas committee with 25 specific recommend

Professor Maeve McDonagh has been appointed as emeritus professor at UCC School of Law following her retirement in early 2020. An expert in information law, Professor McDonagh joined UCC in 1991 after relocating to Cork from Australia. She helped to develop one of the first modules in computer law a

Criminal defence solicitor Cahir O'Higgins has appeared in court charged with assault causing harm to another solicitor. Mr O'Higgins, 46, is accused of assaulting Stephen O'Mahony at Wolfe Tone Quay in Dublin on Thursday 11 February.

A full obituary of Judge Mary Kotsonouris, who passed away earlier this month, has been published by The Irish Times. Judge Kotsonouris practised as a solicitor from 1965 until her appointment as a District Court judge in 1981.

An online seminar on the Prison Rules is set to restart the Irish Penal Reform Trust's (IPRT) prison law seminar series for 2021. Co-hosted with the Irish Criminal Bar Association (ICBA), The Prison Rules: Current Impact and Opportunities for Reform will take place this Thursday 25 February at 4pm v

A consultation on reforming the legislation underpinning the Higher Education Authority (HEA), which is responsible for the funding and oversight of the higher education sector, has been launched. The Higher Education Authority Act 1971 turns 50 this year and the government believes it does not refl

Chief Justice Frank Clarke is among distinguished legal guests who will be joining NUI Galway Law Society for its online centenary celebrations next month. The student law society has unveiled a programme of public events to mark the occasion, beginning with a talk by Mr Justice Clarke on Monday 1 M

Employment lawyer Sarah Cochrane of Belfast-based Carson McDowell comments on a landmark ruling on the employment status of Uber drivers. The UK Supreme Court has handed down its much-anticipated judgment confirming that those engaged by Uber were ‘workers’ and not self-employed contract

Health Secretary Matt Hancock acted unlawfully by failing to publish the details of major Covid-19 contracts within 30 days of being awarded, the High Court in London has ruled. A judicial review brought by the Good Law Project alongside MPs Debbie Abrahams, Caroline Lucas and Layla Moran succeeded