A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
NUIG professor chairs UN rights group
The director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights at NUI Galway, Prof William Schabas, has been designated chairman of the board of trustees of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Technical Co-operation in the Field of Human Rights.
The board of trustees is appointed by the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon.
Individuals are appointed to represent the different geographic regions of the world and are chosen for their independence and experience in the field of human rights and technical co-operation.
Paper on children and the law
Minister for Children Barry Andrews will launch a Law Reform Commission consultation paper on Children and the Law: Medical Treatment, at the commission's office at 6.30pm tomorrow.
The paper is unusual in that the commission worked with the Ombudsman for Children’s Office to arrange a consultation day with 15- to 18-year-olds last August.
Their views indicate that issues that need to be considered include openness, the need for clear information on medical treatment (including treatment relevant to sexual relationships), and taking account of the maturity of an individual as well as their age.
Penal Reform Trust paper
The Irish Penal Reform Trust has published a new briefing paper, Overcrowding in Irish Prisons; Mental Health in Prisons.
Another new report, Detention of Children: International Standards and Best Practice, is now available online.
This report was launched on November 30th by trust chairwoman Dr Ursula Kilkelly.
These documents are intended to summarise the main policy issues in the relevant areas and provide an accessible platform for advocacy work.
For more information, contact Irish Penal Reform Trust research and policy officer Agnieszka Martynowicz at research@iprt.ie.
New partners at AL Goodbody
AL Goodbody has appointed three new partners to its Belfast office.
They are: Michael Neill in restructuring and insolvency; Brendan Fox in commercial litigation; and Gareth Walls in employment law.
Books on property and evidence
Bloomsbury Professional has just published two books on legal matters.
VAT on Property Made Simple by Michael O’Connor and Patrick Cahill is available in paperback for €120 (or a special price of €96 if bought before December 31st), while the third edition of Law of Evidence by Caroline Fennell is also available in paperback for €120.