Opinion

Simon Donagh BL, chair of the Irish Criminal Bar Association, writes for Irish Legal News on today's withdrawal of services by criminal barristers. Practising in criminal law is an honour and privilege. Whether prosecuting or defending, the work is an important public service.

In May 2022, the Department of Justice outlined a plan to implement reforms to civil procedures in the courts. In June 2024, with just a year left for the current government, lawyers are still waiting for the reforms to be legislated, writes Killian Flood. In May 2022, the Department of Justice publ

Fieldfisher partner JP McDowell summarises a recent summit on the future of sports regulation in Ireland. I recently had the pleasure of chairing a fantastic panel on the future of sports regulation as part of Fieldfisher’s ongoing seminar series on regulation.

Marian Fogarty takes a comprehensive look at the PPO regime. A Periodic Payment Order (PPO) is meant to provide financial security to a catastrophically injured plaintiff and is (in theory at least) designed to meet the cost of care and therapy needs over the course of their lifetime. In short, a PP

Seán Hurley BL examines a recent EU court ruling involving TikTok owner Bytedance. Bytedance Ltd, the multinational company behind the social media app TikTok, recently sought and was denied interim relief to suspend the European Commission’s decision designating it as a gatekeeper unde

Benjamin Bestgen reflects on arguments for and against the legalisation of assisted dying. In recent weeks, the Isle of Man and Jersey have moved closer to enacting assisted dying laws. Scotland also proposed a bill for debate. The Netherlands, a country with almost three decades of practical a

Law student Alannah Murray criticises the State's record on vindicating disabled children's right to education. The only positive obligation on the State is to provide free primary education, per the decision in TD v. Minister for Education, as outlined in Article 42.4 of the Constitution. It was re

Eversheds Sutherland partner Lisa Boyd argues that the return of controversial PPP/PFI deals could bring benefits to Northern Ireland. Following the return to Stormont, the infrastructure minister for Northern Ireland no doubt had a bulging in-tray with huge demands on a tight budget.

Dr Filippos Proedrou and Dr Maria Pournara highlight the shortcomings of the EU's new ecocide law. The EU recently passed a law that criminalises actions “comparable to ecocide”. It’s a revolutionary legal development — the first law of its kind to be adopted by a political e

Maria O'Loan of Tughans writes on the implications for Northern Ireland businesses of new UK and EU carbon measures. The UK government has launched its consultation on the introduction of a UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) which closes on 13 June 2024.

Ogier senior associate Matthew van der Want and partner Dominic Conlon examine a bid to introduce third-party rights into the law of contracts in Ireland. Introduced as a private members' bill, the introduction of the Law Reform (Contracts) Bill 2024 to Ireland's Oirechtas in March 2024 is a step to

Anthony Fay considers the evolution and current trends in employment contracts. A 1980s brick phone wouldn't cut the mustard now in the high-octane environment of the corporate world. Contracts of employment are no different and need to keep pace with legislative changes, otherwise there could be se

Reform in personal injuries law has been a focus of government and the insurance sector in recent years. Killian Flood examines how one Supreme Court judge recently signalled a willingness to consider reforming the standard of care in certain cases. Last week, the Supreme Court delivered the much-an

Marguerite Kehoe BL reviews recent case law highlighting the systemic challenges face by the CFA in securing an adequate number of special care beds for minors requiring assistance. The inability of the Child and Family Agency (CFA) to provide sufficient special care beds has been the subject of sev

Eversheds Sutherland lawyer Laura McManus examines women's rights in the workplace as Northern Ireland falls behind neighbouring jurisdictions. As we celebrate International Women’s Day in Northern Ireland, working women, and working families, continue to enjoy less rights in the workplace tha