The Central Bank’s inquiry into alleged regulatory breaches at Irish Nationwide Building Society is a breach of a former director’s constitutional right to a trial by an independent judge, the High Court has heard.

We would like to challenge ex-President Mary McAleese (Irish Examiner, April 14 ) on her view that “the country must vote in favour of the May 22 vote if it wants to finally live up to its constitutional promise to cherish all children equally”.

Two anti-water protesters are seeking legal aid to fight their High Court cases.

Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has confirmed that Nama has agreed annual rent reductions totalling €14m from businesses “in order to help businesses survive”.

THE expert group’s report has been published.

THE National Assets Management Agency (NAMA) has told the High Court it has “no current intention” to sell properties in Britain and Ireland of developer David Daly over which it has appointed receivers.

HE WAS only little – about two, I would say – and a bit scruffy, his feet barely touching the floor as he was dragged along the Tesco aisle by his mother who was carrying a shopping basket and also pushing a buggy containing a younger brother or sister. She let him go for a minute, distracted by the choice of soft drinks, and he sat down and started to pull plastic bottles of mineral water off the lowest shelf.

THE Irish Government vehemently defended Ireland’s restrictive abortion laws and insisted that terminations are easily and readily available where there is a risk to a woman’s life.

The High Court has granted leave to two African families who have been declared as refugees to challenge the Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern's refusal to allow them to bring their families to Ireland.

Activists fighting to save the Hill of Tara today launched fresh High Court action to stop the construction of the controversial M3 motorway through the ancient site.

THE mother of a four-year-old boy, who faces deportation if he does not enrol in a private primary school, said she will not allow him to go back to the United States without her.

MAZE prison escapee Brendan “Bik” McFarlane is to take the Government to the European Court of Human Rights in a bid to halt his trial for the 1983 kidnapping of supermarket boss Don Tidey.

Police in the North will not be issued with controversial Taser stun guns in the immediate future, it was announced today.

THE second of two convicted murderers began his legal High Court action yesterday against the Minister for Justice challenging the constitutionality of this country’s mandatory life sentence regime.

The European Commission said today it will investigate reports that the CIA set up secret jails in eastern Europe to interrogate al-Qaida captives.

Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern tonight welcomed a European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling in favour of the Irish Government.

A 15-YEAR-OLD schoolgirl in Britain yesterday lost her High Court battle for the right to wear traditional Muslim dress in the classroom.

IRELAND’S libel laws are to be challenged in the European Court of Human Rights in a case set to put Justice Minister Michael McDowell under pressure to fast-track reforms of the legislation.

FORMER UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson yesterday criticised the Government’s failure to make human rights part of Irish constitutional law, 52 years after we signed up to an international convention.

A lawyer acting for the DUP has described Northern Secretary John Reid’s decision to delay Assembly elections for 18 months as "constitutionally outrageous".

Sweeping changes to end discrimination and improve the rights of gays, lesbians and bisexuals in Northern Ireland were urged today.