Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the European Commission - Targeted Stakeholder Consultation on the 2020 Rule of Law Report
June 2020
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Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the LSRA in relation to unification of the solicitors' profession and the barristers' profession
May 2020
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Proposal by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Courts Service on Increasing Access to Justice: Jury & Case Management - Criminal Jury Trials During the Covid-19 Pandemic
May 2020
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Proposal by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Courts Service on Increasing Access to Justice through the Resumption of Court Hearings during the Covid-19 Pandemic
May 2020
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Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland and the Employment Bar Association to the Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality
March 2020
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Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Law Reform Commission Issue Paper: Capping Damages in Personal Injuries Actions
March 2020
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Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Legal Services Regulatory Authority on the Admission Policies of the Legal Professions as required by Section 33 of The Legal Regulation Act 2015
February 2020
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Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Department of Justice and Equality on the Review of the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989
December 2019
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Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality on Access to Justice and Legal Costs
November 2019
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Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Legal Services Regulatory Authority in response to an invitation for submissions as part of a public consultation prior to the making and issuing of regulations in relation to the advertising of legal services
November 2019
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Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the District Court Rules Committee on the review of the scale of District Court costs
November 2019
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Balance at The Bar Member Report
October 2019
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland and the Employment Bar Association to The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission
July 2018
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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
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Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland on Draft Order 99 and related issues
July 2018
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2017 - 2018 Annual Report
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The Bar of Ireland Strategic Plan 2018 - 2021
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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
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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
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Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Review Group on the Administration of Civil Justice
February 2018
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Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland
February 2018
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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
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Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland in response to Tax Appeals Commission Public Consultation
September 2017
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Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Courts Service on the Courts Service Strategic Plan 2017 - 2020
September 2017
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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
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Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland in relation to the Mediation Bill 2017
July 2017
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2016 - 2017 Annual Report
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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
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Submission by Council of The Bar of Ireland to the Legal Services Regulatory Authority on Certain Issues Relating to Barristers
June 2017
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Submission to the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure & Reform and Taoiseach on the rising costs of motor insurance
September 2016
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ICAB Research Paper: Values and Functions of a Referral Advocate
August 2016
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2015 - 2016 Annual Report
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Submission on Garda Síochána Code of Ethics
May 2016
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Submission to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs regarding the Guardian ad Litem ("GAL") system in Ireland
October 2015
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The Bar of Ireland Strategic Plan 2015 - 2018
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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
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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 26th 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
A full copy of Commissioner Moscovici's speech can be read here
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
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Submission to the Law Reform Commission Cyber Crime
February 2015
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Submission to the Joint Committee on Health and Children on the Challenge of Rising Costs in Professional Medical Indemnity Insurance
Submissions to the Department of Justice and Equality on the Procedures for Appointment as a Judge
January 2014
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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
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Submission to the Minister for Justice and Equality on the Proposed Establishment of a Court of Appeal
May 2013
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Submission to the Minister for Justice and Equality in Relation to Proposed Reforms Relating to Family Law Courts
June 2013
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Submission to the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality on the Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011
March 2012