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