Coronavirus

Matthew Howse, partner at Eversheds Sutherland in Belfast, considers whether resort to litigation will become more common again as we move into the post-Covid world. Back in March 2020, the pandemic brought a halt to all but the most urgent legal proceedings in the Northern Irish courts. Courts had

Legislation to allow for the phased reopening of indoor hospitality will be brought to the Oireachtas in the coming days, ministers have announced. Restrictions on indoor restaurant or bar services will be eased for those who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19 in the past six month

Legislation to allow fully vaccinated people to eat and drink indoors is set to go before the Dáil and Seanad next week. The government is proposing to amend the Health Act 1947 to allow people who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 to eat and drink inside restaurants and pubs.

The hearing to determine what losses four publicans who won test actions against FBD's failure to pay out on business disruption claims caused by Covid-19 are entitled to has opened before the High Court. The actions have been taken by Aberken, trading as Sinnott's Bar; Hyper Trust Ltd, trading as T

The Covid-19 pandemic and the subsiding of the "Brexit effect" led to a slowing in the number of solicitors and barristers admitted to practise last year, according to the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA). The latest figures from the legal watchdog show that 906 solicitors and 167 barriste

Emergency protection for tenants having difficulty paying rent on commercial leases as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic has been extended for a further three months. Section 83 of the Coronavirus Act 2020 which was first applied at the end of March 2020, has been extended until 30 September 2021, g

The contract for the use of Belfast's International Convention Centre (ICC) as a courts venue has been extended for a further two months.

Temporary entry and transit visa restrictions that came into effect at the end of January have been lifted. The decision will benefit travellers from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, South Africa, Suriname and Uruguay.

Black Lives Matter protesters facing charges under Covid-19 regulations have been told they will not be prosecuted. The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) said it had concluded that the test for prosecution was not met in respect of any of 14 suspects on evidential grounds.

Lawmakers around the world should include “sunset clauses” in legislation to ensure Covid-19 health status certificates are only used during the pandemic, a new study says. Safeguards should be in place to guarantee against the risks posed to people’s privacy and human rights by ne

There should be an "extensive review" of emergency Covid-19 legislation before any further renewal, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has said. Ministers have proposed a six-month extension of the powers outlined in the Health (Preservation and Protection and Other Emergency Measures in t

Legislation allowing companies to hold virtual annual general meetings (AGMs) during the Covid-19 pandemic has been extended until the end of the year. The Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Covid-19) Act 2020 makes temporary amendments to the Companies Act 2014 and the Industrial and Provident S

Matthew Howse, partner at Eversheds Sutherland in Belfast, reflects on the UK's recently announced Covid public inquiry and what it means for Northern Ireland. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that an independent public inquiry into the handling of the Covid pandemic will be held in Spring

At least 19 prisoners and a number of staff at Mountjoy Prison have contracted Covid-19 in the biggest outbreak in the Irish prison system to date. The Irish Prison Service (IPS) yesterday confirmed that it had identified 19 cases among prisoners, though the number could rise as tests are ongoing.

In a dramatic U-turn, the US government has signalled its support for waiving intellectual property protections for Covid-19 vaccines and medical tools to help developing countries tackle the global pandemic. The waiver was first proposed by India and South Africa last October in a detailed submissi