News & Insights
OPINION: The Government’s New Insurance Plan: A Minefield for Claimants
The Irish Government has recently published its new roadmap for insurance reform, a document titled the “Action Plan for Insurance Reform 2025-2029”. On the surface, its goals are admirable and speak to issues that affect every household and business in the country. The plan promises to tackle the high cost of insurance, increase competition in […]
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The Hot Tub in the Four Courts? An Analysis of Concurrent Expert Evidence in the Irish Legal System
Concurrent Expert Evidence, a procedural innovation colloquially known as “hot-tubbing,” represents one of the most significant shifts in modern civil litigation, challenging the centuries-old adversarial tradition of handling expert testimony. Originating in Australia and now adopted across the common law world, this method brings experts together to testify concurrently, engaging in a judge-led dialogue aimed […]
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Litigation Funding in Ireland: At the Crossroads of Ancient Doctrine and Modern Imperative
Litigation funding in Ireland stands at a pivotal crossroads, caught between the enduring grip of ancient legal doctrines and the pressing demands of modern access to justice. While most common law jurisdictions have moved to relax prohibitions on third-party funding, Ireland continues to uphold the centuries-old principles of maintenance and champerty, effectively barring outside investment […]
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New Procedural Dawn: An Analysis of the 2024-2025 Reforms to Interrogatories in Irish Civil Litigation
Part I: The Old Regime: Interrogatories as a Reluctant Tool To fully appreciate the significance of the 2024-2025 reforms, it is essential to first understand the procedural landscape that preceded them. Historically, interrogatories—a series of written questions posed by one party to another, to be answered on oath—were a relatively uncommon feature of Irish civil […]
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Missed the Deadline to Appeal a Court Ruling? Here’s What You Need to Know
In the world of legal claims, deadlines are everything. They provide certainty and ensure that legal disputes eventually come to an end. But what happens if you receive a court judgment you believe is wrong, and for a legitimate reason, you miss the strict time limit to file an appeal? It’s a sinking feeling, but […]
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The Bigger Picture: How Irish Courts Value Multiple Injury Claims
If you’ve been unfortunate enough to suffer multiple injuries in an accident, one of the most pressing questions is: how is my claim for compensation actually valued? If you’ve injured your back, broken your wrist, and developed anxiety, does a court simply add up the values for each injury? The answer, perhaps surprisingly, is no. […]
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Judicial Review Dismissed in Garda Disciplinary Case
The High Court has recently dismissed an application for judicial review by a garda involved in a disciplinary case. The garda was accused of engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a woman who had reported domestic abuse to the police. This decision was rendered by Mr Justice Garrett Simons, who found that the suspension and […]
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The Illusion of Fairness: Why It’s Time to Rethink the Injuries Resolution Board
When the Injuries Resolution Board (IRB) was first established in Ireland, it was heralded as a progressive solution to the slow and costly machinery of litigation. It promised a streamlined, non-adversarial process for resolving personal injury claims, one that would ease pressure on the courts while delivering justice quickly and efficiently to injured parties. The […]
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Supreme Court: Planning judicial review application brought in time where time limit expired on a Sunday
The Supreme Court has determined that where the time period for bringing judicial review proceedings under s.50(6) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) expires on a day that the Central Office is closed, the time limit is extended to the next day on which the court offices are open. Delivering their judgments for the […]
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Court finds landlord cannot force tenant to take new lease under 1980 Act
In a recent decision, the Circuit Court (the Court) (O’ Connor J) confirmed that Part II of the Landlord and Tenant (Amendment) Act 1980 (the 1980 Act) gives tenants the right, not the obligation, to take a new tenancy. In particular, the Court emphasised that a tenant who initially applies for a new tenancy is later entitled to withdraw this […]
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Why There’s a Summer Silence in Legal News: Understanding Court Recesses and How They Impact Cases
Have you been waiting for updates on your legal case, only to be met with radio silence over the summer months? You’re not alone. July and August often seem like a quiet time in the legal world, with few case developments making the headlines. The reason? Ireland’s courts go into their annual summer recess during […]
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Contracts and the rights of third parties – new developments 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 towards aligning Irish contract law with evolving jurisprudence around the enforceability of third-party rights in contracts. How will it work? That a benefit may be conferred on and enforced by a […]
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