As Judge Mary Laffoy gets ready to present her report on the Citizens’ Assembly, Alison O’Connor says we are in for a tortuous few months before we get to vote on the issue.

The Supreme Court has found Shell E & P Ireland was acting in civil contempt of court orders when it entered nine years ago onto commonage lands at Rossport located on the modified route for the Corrib gas onshore pipeline.

The Citizens’ Assembly is meeting this weekend to consider how best to respond to the challenges and opportunities of an ageing population.

The way has been cleared for the Government to allow a referendum on abortion without restriction early next year after a series of wide-ranging recommendations were made by the independent Citizens’ Assembly.

The Oireachtas no longer has the excuse of saying it does not know the way forward on abortion after the Citizens’ Assembly delivered its judgments, writes Alison O’Connor.

Unlike the Convention on the Constitution that preceded it there were no politicians appointed to the Citizen’s Assembly, writes Alison O’Connor

They’ve been chosen to give a ‘range’ of the experiences which can be undergone by women, rather than an absolute balance of pro and anti abortion, writes Alison O’Connor.

The Citizens’ Assembly has been given extra time to consider the issue of the eighth amendment.

Ms Justice Mary Laffoy , the chair of the citizens’ assembly, has hailed a “hugely successful” first meeting to discuss the Eighth Amendment, but she said it was a “vast” challenge that “could overwhelm us”.

The newly-established citizens’ assembly has been embroiled in controversy with its credibility already under threat.

Killers like Eamonn Lillis should not be able to get their hands on their spouse’s assets, including the victim’s share of the family home, according to the State’s expert legal body.

Legal experts are set to make recommendations on whether or not killers such as Eamonn Lillis should be barred from inheriting assets, such as the family home, from their victims.

THE bumbling Mr Bumble in Charles Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist declared the law to be an ‘ass’. He wasn’t, of course, reflecting on Ireland’s inheritance laws but the comment is prescient in light of the fact that wife-killer Eamonn Lillis emerges from prison today a wealthy man.

Legal issues raised by high-profile cases involving famous spouse killers Eamonn Lillis and Catherine Nevin have prompted an investigation by the State’s law review body.

Bewley’s Cafe yesterday said that it was "immensely disappointed" at a Supreme Court decision which means it must continue to pay annual rent of €1.46m on its Grafton Street cafe until the next review in three years’ time.

The order which ran the mother-and-baby home in Bessborough in Cork initially refused to transfer files relating to controversial vaccine trials to the HSE.

Billionaire businessman Denis O’Brien has won a battle with Revenue that saves him paying nearly €57m in capital gains tax.

One of Ireland’s richest men, billionaire telecoms and media tycoon Denis O’Brien, has avoided a €57m tax bill over a lucrative share trade.

A company director who was served with legal proceedings last Saturday checked himself into St John of God’s the following day, the High Court has heard.

Cancer survival rates have improved dramatically in the past decade, however, the number of women dying from lung cancer continues to rise.

Waterford United's survival was confirmed this afternoon after an application to wind up the football club was struck out.

The Government is to nominate two female judges to the Supreme Court.

Two serving High Court judges are to be nominated by the Government to the Supreme Court.

A man has withdrawn an application for a High Court order stopping his pregnant girlfriend from leaving Ireland over fears her parents were putting undue pressure on her to have an abortion.

An application to wind up Waterford United Football Club has been adjourned for two weeks.

Doctors have warned that the HSE’s failure to fund a follow-up care plan for women treated for breast cancer will mean patients bearing the costs.

Moves to plug a legal loophole which halted home repossessions may impact on a High Court action over properties owned by former Ireland and Munster rugby player Frankie Sheahan, a judge has heard.

The Supreme Court has dismissed a challenge to the validity of compulsory acquisition orders for the Shell pipeline project in Co Mayo.

A High Court decision means Dunnes Stores has to fit out its anchor store at Dublin’s Point Village only after seven other tenants are secured for the development.

A book by the former partner of late broadcaster Gerry Ryan is back on the shelves today after a High Court action temporarily preventing its distribution was settled.

The High Court has fixed next Thursday as the hearing date of an application by Goal CEO John O'Shea for an interlocutory injunction restraining the board of Goal from taking any steps to suspend or remove him from his position.

Goal founder John O’Shea has blocked a bid to suspend him, denying claims of bullying and alleging there was a “concerted action” to remove him from his post.

Independent TD Thomas Pringle will appeal a High Court ruling which rejected his claim that the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) is unconstitutional and incompatible with EU law.

An organisation that arranges holidays for sick children has been given two weeks by the High Court to pay an outstanding debt of €12,000 or face being wound up.

AS VITA Cortex workers continue their sit-in, it has emerged that employees from another Cork company still have not received most of their entitlements, six months after a receiver was appointed.

Irish law is an ass as it remains silent on whether unlawful killing prohibits a share of jointly held assets, says Dan Buckley

WIFE killer Eamon Lillis is entitled to a half share in assets jointly owned by himself and his dead wife Celine Cawley, including the couple’s family home in Howth, the High Court has ruled.

Teresa Tracey has said she is "very, very relieved" to have been released from prison, following an appearance at the High Court today.

Sixty-five-year-old Teresa Treacy has been released from prison despite refusing to purge her contempt of court for trying to stop a power line being laid across her land in Co Offaly.

The High Court has concluded developer Sean Dunne has an ulterior motive for financing costly proceedings agaisnt a woman who runs a cleaning service.