vLex Ireland

The Registrar of Companies has given Irish companies until 31st October 2020 to file annual returns which would otherwise have been due by the end of June 2020. View here.

The Health Act 1947 (Section 31A – Temporary Requirements) (Covid-19 Passenger Locator Form) Regulations 2020 came into force on 28th May 2020. The Regulations require international passengers arriving in the State from another jurisdiction to complete a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form recording their contact details and place of residence for a period of up to 14 days. The full text of the Regulations can be found here.

Mason Hayes & Curran has stated the firm has become the largest law firm in Ireland to operate as a limited liability partnership under new rules which came into effect last year. The statement can be viewed here.

A new report on recidivism, produced by criminology expert Professor Ian O’Donnell of UCD Sutherland School of Law, has been published by the Department of Justice. The report can be viewed here.

According to a new study by the University of Limerick, most offenders in youth diversion programmes are complying with restrictions introduced to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. View here.

A team at Mason Hayes & Curran has developed a new online platform designed to support businesses who are adapting their operations to meet the urgent market needs created by COVID-19. Details of the platform can be found here.

The High Court of Ireland has ordered that State non-parties must make discovery of documents to a defendant in a defamation suit. The suit concerned an article published after an investigation by the defendant into employment practices in the Irish fishing industry.[2020] IEHC 234.

According to a new report from Dublin firm Shalom Binchy & Co. Solicitors, solicitors are allegedly being forced to break public health guidelines in order to advise clients in An Garda Síochána custody. View here.

The Public Relations Consultants Association has become an approved professional body with access to The Bar of Ireland’s direct access scheme. The announcement from the Bar can be found here.

The Courts Service of Ireland has indicated that full court sittings will resume “as soon as tomorrow” with new safety measures. Details of the statement can be found here.

The Law Society of Ireland has published guidance for Irish law firms on how to organise their return to physical workplaces following the COVID-19 pandemic health crisis. View here.

The Government of Ireland has published a roadmap for reopening society and business, setting out how the COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted. View here.

The High Court of Ireland has held that Solicitors Mutual Defence Fund Limited is entitled to re-enter proceedings for judgment of €4.9 million it alleges are outstanding pursuant to a 2011 settlement with Bloxham Stockbrokers. [2020] IEHC 213.

The Courts Service of Ireland has published a update notice regarding arrangements for remote hearings of civil appeals during the COVID-19 pandemic. View here.

US-based non-profit organisation Whistleblower Aid has expanded into Ireland in partnership with Dublin-based O’Sullivan Kenny Solicitors. Details of the move can be found here.

An interim care order for an unaccompanied child victim of trafficking has been granted in the first-ever remote hearing of a District Court case. The Child Care Law Reporting Project attended the remote Dublin District Court hearing and has published a report of proceedings. View here.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has announced that immigration permissions due to expire between 20th May and 20th July 2020 will be automatically extended for two months. View here.

On May 8, 2020, AbbVie announced that it completed its acquisition of Allergan plc, having received approval by the Irish High Court. AbbVie and Allergan had previously announced, on May 5, 2020, that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission accepted the proposed consent order in connection with the acquisition. (See Article)

The International Protection Appeals Tribunal has more than tripled its output of decisions in two years, according to its latest annual report. View here.

The Courts Service of Ireland has published statements of the Presidents of each jurisdiction on the gradual and careful planning for creating a pathway to opening some courts. View here.

The Law Society of Ireland has launched a new service to support solicitor practices during the coronavirus crisis. The Crisis Practice Support service has been designed to deliver relevant, practical supports to help solicitors remain operational to ensure they can continue providing essential services delivered differently to their clients and communities during this period. View here.

The Court of Appeal of Ireland has dismissed an appeal brought by Dunnes Stores Limited Company over a July 2019 judgment in which Ms Justice Miriam O’Regan awarded the sum of €102,000 and costs to a respondent in respect of injuries sustained in a fall in a Co Cork store. [2020] IECA 125.

The Supreme Court of Ireland has dismissed the appeal of a minor who argued that he should be entitled to be considered for enhanced remission in the same way as adult prisoners are under the Prison Rules. See the following for the full judgment [2020] IESC 18..

ESMA published on 3 April 2020, its Final Report, ‘Guidelines on performance fees in UCITS and certain types of AIFs’ (the “Guidelines”). The Guidelines are the culmination of a consultation process started by ESMA in July 2019 (the “Consultation”) which sought stakeholder feedback on a range of issues relating to the use of performance fees by fund managers. (See Article)

The Irish Business and Employers Confederation and the Confederation of British Industry for Northern Ireland have called for greater co-operation between the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government in tackling Covid-19 and protecting economic prosperity across the island of Ireland. Details of the letter to the Taoiseach and the First and Deputy First Ministers can be found here.

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission’s annual report for 2019 has been published. The number of complaints made to the watchdog fell by nine per cent last year following the introduction of the new local intervention process. View the report here.

The Supreme Court of Ireland has dismissed an application to appeal a decision of the Court of Appeal under the Criminal Procedure Act 1993. Mr Justice Charleton held that the application did not include any new or newly discovered facts as defined by case law. [2020] IESC 16..

A significant “spike” in complaints to the Workplace Relations Commission put the body under strain in 2019, according to its annual report. View the report here.

The European Shareholders' Rights Directive II (“SRD II”) has been transposed into Irish law with the publication of the European Union (Shareholders’ Rights) Regulations 2020 (“Regulations”). The Regulations aim to promote greater shareholder involvement in the corporate governance of public companies which have a registered office in the EU and are listed on EU regulated markets (“Investee Companies”). (See Article)

The claimant failed in her damages claim against the organisers of her overseas holiday for an injury to her elbow suffered on a ‘White Knuckle Jet Boat Thrill Ride’ excursion that she had signed up for whilst on a cruise. She failed in her allegations of negligence that, despite the fact that she was aware... (See Article)