Reports and Submissions

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Balance at The Bar Member Report

October 2019

2018 - 2019 Annual Report

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Submission on behalf of the Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Review Group on the Protection of Vulnerable Witnesses in the Investigation and Prosecution of Sexual Offences

July 2019

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice and Equality on reform of the Family Law System

March 2019

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality on the General Scheme of the European Convention on Human Rights (Compensation for Delays in Court Proceedings) Bill

January 2019

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Legal Services Regulatory Authority concerning the Draft Code of Practice for Practising Barristers

November 2018

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Minister of State for Financial Services on the Development of a New Strategy for Ireland's International Financial Services Sector

October 2018

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland and the Employment Bar Association to The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission

July 2018

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Legal Services Regulatory Authority concerning a review of the operation of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015

July 2018

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland on Draft Order 99 and related issues

July 2018

2017 - 2018 Annual Report

Download the Strategic Plan here

The Bar of Ireland Strategic Plan 2018 - 2021

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Legal Services Regulatory Authority Concerning the Education and Training Arrangements in the State for Legal Practitioners

June 2018

Promoting Ireland as a Leading Centre Globally for International Legal Services

May 2018

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Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Legal Aid Board on the Operation of the Civil Legal Aid System

February 2018

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Review Group on the Administration of Civil Justice

February 2018

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland

February 2018

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Gender Equality Division, Department of Justice & Equality on Measures to Tackle The Gender Pay Gap

October 2017

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland in response to Tax Appeals Commission Public Consultation

September 2017

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Courts Service on the Courts Service Strategic Plan 2017 - 2020

September 2017

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Minister for Justice & Equality in response to the Statutory Consultation on Pre-Action Protocol for Clinical Negligence Action

September 2017

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland in relation to the Mediation Bill 2017

July 2017

2016 - 2017 Annual Report

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Legal Services Regulatory Authority in respect of the establishment, regulation, monitoring, operation and impact of multi-disciplinary practices in the State

June 2017

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Legal Services Regulatory Authority on Certain Issues Relating to Barristers

June 2017

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Seanad Special Select Committee on the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union

May 2017

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Legal Services Regulatory Authority Section 118 Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 - Legal Partnerships

March 2017

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The Bar of Ireland Oireachtas Day Position Papers 2017

January 2017

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality on the Scheme of Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2016

January 2017

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Department of Justice and Equality for the Review of the Defamation Act, 2009

December 2016

Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to The Law Reform Commission on The Issues Paper on Contempt of Court and Other Offences and Torts involving the Administration of Justice

October 2016

Submission to the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure & Reform and Taoiseach on the rising costs of motor insurance

September 2016

ICAB Research Paper: Values and Functions of a Referral Advocate

August 2016

2015 - 2016 Annual Report

Submission on Garda Síochána Code of Ethics

May 2016

Submission to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs regarding the Guardian ad Litem ("GAL") system in Ireland

October 2015

Download the Strategic Plan here

The Bar of Ireland Strategic Plan 2015 - 2018

IBA Presidential Taskforce Report

In October 2014, the IBA launched the Presidential Taskforce report ‘Achieving Justice and Human Rights in an era of Climate Disruption’. Michael B Gerrard, Director, Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Columbia Law School New York said of the report:

‘This ground-breaking report by a remarkable group of lawyers, judges and scholars from around the world draws on the weaknesses inherent in current domestic and international law to identify opportunities for reform by governments, UN bodies, the WTO, human rights tribunals, courts, corporations and individuals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide justice to those most affected by climate change.’

During the past year, the IBA has been taking forward the actions recommended in the report which can be found at the following link: http://www.ibanet.org/PresidentialTaskForceClimateChangeJustice2014Report.aspx.

2014 - 2015 Bar Council Annual Report

Preliminary Submission to the Courts Service

Proposals for new Family & Childrens Court Facilities in Dublin

22 June 2015

A full copy of Commissioner Moscovici's speech can be read here

Dialogue continues between Bar Council and European Commission

Representatives of the Bar Council have engaged with the European Commission both in Brussels and Dublin over the past number of months and dialogue continues with the officials in particular in respect of the reductions that have taken place in professional fees paid to barristers since 2008. Recent media reports in mid-May 2015 cited the European Commission’s report on the Economic Outlook for Ireland in Spring 2015 and suggested that reforms in the legal sector had been dropped by the Troika. However a speech made by European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Pierre Moscovici in Dublin at the Institute for International and European Affairs (IIEA) conference on 26^th May 2015 confirmed the views of the Commission as follows:

‘As part of the programme of financial assistance, Ireland committed to reforming the regulatory framework for legal services in order to reduce costs. The Legal Services Regulation Bill was indeed published in 2011, but the Commission indicated on numerous occasions that progress towards enactment was frustratingly slow. Although the Bill is still to be enacted, it cleared an important hurdle in April by being sent to the Seanad. Further amendments are anticipated, but we are encouraged by the authorities' indications that enactment is now within reach, and we trust that there will be a rapid conclusion to the legislative process.

The Commission views enactment of the Bill as an important first step towards the reduction of high legal services costs, which make it more expensive to do business in Ireland and are a burden on all citizens. The Commission will therefore continue to closely monitor progress in the context of the European Semester, as well as under Post-Programme Surveillance, given that the reform of legal services had been part of the programme commitments.’

29 May 2015

Submission to European Commission in response to the ‘Commission Staff Working Document, Country Report Ireland 2015

Includes an In-Depth Review on the prevention and correction of macroeconomic imbalances.

10 April 2015

Submission to the Law Reform Commission Cyber Crime

February 2015

Submission to the Joint Committee on Health and Children on the Challenge of Rising Costs in Professional Medical Indemnity Insurance

January 2015

Submissions to the Department of Justice and Equality on the Procedures for Appointment as a Judge

January 2014

Submission to the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in respect of the decision as to whether to establish an Irish division of the Unified Patent Court

January 2014

Submission to the Minister for Justice and Equality on the Proposed Establishment of a Court of Appeal

May 2013

Submission to the Minister for Justice and Equality in Relation to Proposed Reforms Relating to Family Law Courts

June 2013

Submission to the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality on the Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011

March 2012

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Report Prepared by COMPECON - COMPETITION ECONOMICS for the Bar Council
An Economic Analysis of the Government’s Proposed Regulatory Regime for the Legal Profession in Ireland.

3rd March 2012

Initial Submission on the Legal Services Regulation Bill, 2011

December 2011