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The family of murdered Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane has lost a Supreme Court challenge over the decision not to hold a public inquiry into his killing, but won a declaration that an effective investigation into his death has not been carried out.
Mr Finucane was shot dead in front of his family in February 1989 by loyalists in an attack found to have involved collusion with the state.
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Buying a home is one of the most important decisions you will ever make, and any mistakes can have major consequences for you and your family. What may seem to be a simple straightforward purchase can go badly off the rails unless it is properly planned.
Therefore, it is important to involve your solicitor at the earliest possible moment, especially since the fee for conveyancing work usually includes preliminary advice. Here, you can learn what to expect from your solicitor and how to make the move as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

Your solicitor can  advise you in relation to the following  matters:

• Are there any problems with the title? Would you have any trouble in reselling? Remember that, if you purchase a  home at auction, you will be required to sign a binding contract there and then and pay a non-refundable deposit. Therefore, you should always consult your solicitor well in advance of the auction to allow time for the title to be checked in advance and to arrange necessary finances.
• Will the loan come through without difficulty or delay? You should check with your bank that they have everything they need from you.
• What happens if you cannot make your loan repayments?
• Contents – what will be left in the property?
• Do you know what rights your spouse, civil partner or co-purchaser will have over the property when purchased?
• Should you purchase in your own name or in joint names with your spouse / civil partner or others? If so, should you purchase the property in shares or as joint owners?
• Do you know what joint ownership involves in the event of your death?
• Do you need a co-ownership agreement?
• Estimating budget for the transaction - do you know the total cost of:
  1. Purchasing the home?
  2. Mortgaging the home?
  3. Government taxes (stamp duty and VAT on legal fees)?
  4. Land Registry fees?
  5. Legal fees?
  6. Other outlays such as search fees?
  7. Other expenses such as survey fees and necessary repairs?

Your solicitor will also look after the following:

• Exchange of contracts.
• Raising and negotiating any title queries with the seller’s solicitor.
• Drafting closing documentation.
• Title searches.
• Giving an undertaking to your bank.
• Ordering your loan cheque for closing.
• Closing the sale.
• Post-closing matters  stamping and registering  title to the property and sending title deeds to your bank.
• Giving a certificate of title to your bank.

Matters that you, the client, will need to look after include:

• If you are buying a new home, dealing with the builder on property details, extras, and arranging for a qualified surveyor / architect / engineer to do periodic inspections and the snag list.
• If you are buying a second-hand home, having a structural survey carried out by a qualified surveyor / architect / engineer before signing any contracts.
• Dealing directly with your bank on non-title matters, including:
  • Loan application / negotiation, getting loan approval in writing (which should be obtained before signing contracts).
  • Establishing your identity for the purpose of opening a loan account (under anti-money laundering legislation).
  • Property insurance, what value to insure for, what interests should be noted on the policy, how much it will cost.
  • Life assurance / mortgage protection insurance, what it covers, how much it will cost.
  • Direct debit mandate.

Note that your loan cheque will not issue or could be delayed until you have satisfied your bank on these non-title items

• Getting balance of money to close (other than the loan cheque).
• Getting money to pay legal fees and outlays on closing.
• Pre-closing inspection of the property.
• Arranging to have utilities transferred into your name when you complete the purchase.

Before seeing your solicitor:

• Do not pay a deposit.
• Do not sign anything for anybody.
• Do not order work, furnishings or appliances until the purchase is completed.

When seeing your solicitor, please:

• Phone for an appointment before arriving at the office.
• Bring with you photographic evidence of your identity such as your passport or driving licence and a document with your permanent address, such as an electricity bill or bank statement sent within the last three months. This is needed under anti-money laundering regulations [link].
• Bring with you any documents relating to the purchase, including:
  • Your state marriage certificate if you are married or civil partnership registration certificate if you are in a civil partnership.
  • Your separation agreement or judicial separation order if you are separated.
  • A decree of divorce if you are divorced, or decree of dissolution of civil partnership if you were in a civil partnership that has been dissolved.
  • Your PPS number and tax type (whether PAYE, income tax other than PAYE, VAT, etc).

• Make a note of the questions you wish to ask your solicitor.If you need to cancel an appointment, please phone and tell your solicitor.

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President Michael D. Higgins yesterday warned that barriers to access to justice in Ireland are damaging “the very fabric of our society, entrenching and exacerbating inequality”.
The president mounted a strong defence of legal aid in his speech at the officially opening of legal rights group FLAC’s new Dublin headquarters.
He said: “We know that a right to justice is fundamental to human rights protection, a primary element of an individual’s entitlement as an equal citizen of any state.
“It is simply not acceptable, in a state that claims to be a democracy, that the most vulnerable section of our society is unable to access our legal system or is prevented from doing so in a timely manner. That is a situation which damages the very fabric of our society, entrenching and exacerbating inequality.
“At the very roots of democracy lies a respect for all citizens and a refusal to foster a culture of privilege and advantage for those who can afford it. If we are to achieve a Republic in its fullest sense, both institutional and experiential, it must be founded on a profound spirit of generous humanity and a necessary inclusiveness.”

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 A nine-year-old who will not be able to grow her nails long as a result of an accident has been awarded €55,000.
Letterkenny Circuit Court heard the girl lost the tip of her finger after it became caught in a door at a Donegal primary school in April 2017. The finger tip could not be replaced.
Fiona Crawford BL, for the girl, said her client was using a classroom door when it had closed back on her finger. She was taken to Letterkenny University Hospital and was then transferred to Galway where an operation was performed on her finger by a surgeon.
Ms Crawford told Judge John Alymer that as a result of the crush injury, the child was sensitive to cold weather and would not permit anyone to touch the affected finger.
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The first garda on the scene when DJ Bobby Ryan's body was found noticed that the accused man's hands were "extremely clean" considering he had been working with slurry that morning.
Farmer Patrick Quirke (50) of Breanshamore, Co Tipperary has pleaded not guilty to the murder of part-time DJ Bobby 'Mr Moonlight' Ryan on a date between June 3, 2011 and April 2013. Mr Ryan's body was found in a run-off tank on the farm leased by the accused at Fawnagown, Tipperary in April 2013.
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If you have suffered harm due to a delayed or misdiagnosis while under medical care, you should call us to obtain expert legal advice. This area of practice is headed byJohn McCabe, who specialises in this area of law. John has several years’ experience in a medical negligence and personal injury law firm. 

One of the first steps you will need to take is to call us for a consultation. Then it will be necessary to obtain your medical and radiology records from the hospital or care facility you were treated under Freedom of Information or Data Protection Acts.

To further progress the matter and before issuing High Court proceedings, it will usually be necessary to then furnish your medical records to an expert in the United Kingdom to obtain an independent report on liability and causation - that is to say who is liable for the harm suffered and is that harm or injury 'on the balance of probabilities' caused by the negligence act of the doctor or hospital that treated you. 

We assist clients in the following areas:

• Cancer Misdiagnosis

• DePuy hip implant recall
• Orthopaedic injuries
• Pharmaceutical/dispensing of medication negligence
• Cosmetic/plastic surgery errors
• Injuries at Birth
• Joint replacement
• Vaginal Mesh Surgery
• Brain Injury
• Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Dental complaints 

*In contentious matters a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or portion of any award or settlement.

The UK voted to leave the European Union on June 23rd 2016 by a majority of 51.9 to 48.1 per cent, with a turnout of just under 72 per cent. This set the UK on course to leave the EU, but left all the details of its exit still to be decided.

The timetable was set the following March 29th, when British prime minister Theresa May took the formal step, required under EU law to start the exit process, of triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. Under the two-year process the UK will leave the EU on March 29th, 2019.

Please contact us with any questions: 052 6122411
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