Coronavirus

Judicial review proceedings have been brought against the UK government for failing to have a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter on stage at its daily coronavirus briefings. Sheffield lawyer Chris Fry sent a pre-action protocol letter to the government at the end of March on behalf of an 85-yea

A furniture business has secured a High Court injunction preventing its eviction after it was unable to pay its rent as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Design Features Ltd, represented by Dublin law firm Sherwin O'Riordan, argued that the threatened eviction was not permissible under the lease

Ireland's human rights watchdog has called for "close parliamentary oversight" of emergency legislation introduced in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission issued a statement this morning following a meeting on Friday to consider the rights implications

The coronavirus pandemic makes Ireland's implementation of the new EU Copyright Directive "all the more important", a senior IP law expert has said. Dr Mark Hyland, IMRO adjunct professor of intellectual property law at the Law Society of Ireland, said creative industries "are being badly hit by the

The Government should carry out a human rights impact assessment before extending coronavirus pandemic restrictions, a coalition of rights groups has said. In a letter sent to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar this week, eight organisations say they accept that it "may be necessary" to extend restrictions beyo

Remote courts technology is not ready for criminal trials with juries, the head of the Criminal Bar Association in England and Wales has said. After observing a mock remote jury trial, Caroline Goodwin QC concluded that "the technology is not there to deliver a safe and fair trial", The Times report

Five thousand people who tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from the Austrian ski resort of Ischgl have registered for a class action lawsuit that claims the resort and Tyrol region put private gain before public health, The Irish Times reports.

A large crowd of people who attended the Four Courts yesterday for the beginning of a legal challenge against COVID-19 restrictions "endangered themselves, gardaí, court staff and court users", the Courts Service has said. In a statement issued after the High Court hearing, the service said i

New Garda powers under the emergency coronavirus law have been used 34 times since coming into effect earlier this month. Delivering an update on the use of the powers yesterday, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said the "vast majority" of people are complying with public health guidelines.

Legislation to provide private renters with additional protections during the coronavirus pandemic will not be retrospective to avoid any possible legal challenge, ministers have said. The Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Bill 2020, which yesterday cleared the second stage in the Northe

Laura Banks, solicitor at Francis Hanna & Co, considers how human rights law can assist people experiencing a bereavement related to coronavirus. The COVID-19 pandemic has wide-reaching implications and it is therefore throwing up myriad issues in our society, some of them fundamental and going

Prominent Belfast solicitor Niall Murphy, who spent 16 days in an induced coma while battling coronavirus, has returned home after being treated for the illness. Mr Murphy, 43, is a partner at KRW LAW LLP and is known for his work as a criminal defence lawyer and in representing victims of state vio

A parole hearing is set to take place via video link for the first time in Northern Ireland. The Parole Commissioner of Northern Ireland had earlier issued guidance that all parole hearings at prisons and at Shannon Clinic would be postponed until further notice.

Dr Seán Ó Conaill carries out a textual analysis of the Constitution to examine whether the Oireachtas can sit remotely. Reports emerged today that advice has been issued to TDs and Senators which suggests that the Houses of the Oireachtas cannot sit remotely because the text of the Co

Approved organisations have been reminded by The Bar of Ireland that they can directly access barristers for legal opinion on a wide range of matters. The Bar issued the reminder about the Direct Professional Access Scheme in response to widespread legal uncertainty created by the coronavirus crisis