KEY Irish cases which came before the European Court of Human Rights

. Lawless one of the court's first cases, saw the establishment of important rights of access by the plaintiff to the proceedings of the court.

. Airey established right to civil legal aid.

. Norris ended the prohibition on homosexuality.

. Johnston rejected contention that the right to marry implied the right to divorce.

. Open Line Counselling and Well Woman cases established right to abortion information.

. Pine Valley overruled Government on compensation for revoked planning permission.

. Keegan right given to unmarried father to be consulted on adoption of a child.

. Purcell Commission backed Government on Section 31.

KEY British cases which came before the court

. Golder prisoners won right to access to lawyer and to take proceedings.

. Tyrer outlawed birching in the Isle of Man.

. Sunday Times (Thalidomide) changed contempt of court law.

. Young, James and Webster allowed workers to opt out of joining a union.

. Ireland v UK found Britain carried out inhuman and degrading treatment of Republican prisoners in Long Kesh in the immediate after math of internment.

. Dudgeon ended Northern

. Observer and Guardian suppression of Spycatcher in breach of convention.

. Brogan PTA seven day detention found in breach of convention. Britain's subsequent derogation from the relevant article was later upheld by the court (Brannigan).

. McCann et al Gibraltar killings of IRA members. The court found that there was no premeditated plot to kill but that authorities had not taken due care in briefing of SAS and could not show "absolute necessity" of killings.

. Goodwin declared that journalists have the right to protect their sources.

. Murray right to silence not upheld, but court backed right to a solicitor where adverse inference from silence was to be drawn.