A young senior counsel, Conor Dignam, has been given the most important legal assignment of his career — representing the baby whose heart continues to beat in the brain-dead body of its mother in a country hospital.

A Supreme Court appeal on surrogacy rights has heard that Irish law provides for a declaration of parenthood based on genetics.

A woman whose child was born as a result of a surrogacy arrangement has brought a High Court action alleging the State’s refusal to pay her maternity benefit amounts to unlawful discrimination. The Equality Authority is supporting the woman’s case.

An expert in assisted human reproduction has told the High Court the failure by Government to introduce legislation is “very disappointing” and “tragic”.

Issues have been raised in an action taken by two children who wish to have their genetic mother’s name on their birth certificates that have never before been considered by the Irish courts, despite advances made in IVF technology, the High Court has heard.

A woman who had a surrogate pregnancy after her womb was removed due to cervical cancer was refused unpaid maternity leave on the grounds she was not entitled to it.

AN Irish man with an intellectual disability and a risk due to his sexualised behaviour will have to be transferred from a British hospital back to Ireland.

FOURTEEN women employed as civilian clerical officers in Garda stations are claiming gender discrimination because they are paid less than gardaí doing the same work, the High Court heard yesterday.

A RULING on whether on whether a 17-year-old pregnant girl can travel to Britain for an abortion will be made by a High Court judge tomorrow afternoon.

SPECULATION mounted last night over whether the High Court abortion case involving the pregnant teenager known as “Miss D” will go ahead.

IT took four days for the High Court to address the key question in the landmark hearing in which a pregnant teenager challenged the right of the Health Service Executive to try and prevent her travelling to Britain for an abortion.