Legal News (Healthcare Law)

In a significant policy U-turn, the Minister for Health, James Reilly, this week ordered the HSE not to destroy blood samples taken from new-born babies during the course of their heel prick test.

Caroline Crowley, Partner, recently acted for a hospital in seeking a Court Order to compel a pregnant woman to undergo a caesarean section.

The High Court recently made an Order permitting the taking of blood samples from a 15 year old girl suffering from a psychiatric disorder.

The DCRS is an independent service which was launched in May 2012 with the purpose of offering patients and dentists an opportunity to resolve their differences about dental treatment assisted by a mediator.

A Government commitment to prepare legislation providing for Periodic Payment Orders has been announced in recent days. The commitment has been welcomed as a significant development by the President of the High Court.

The absolute ban on assisted suicide was recently re-affirmed in a landmark High Court decision. The decision arose out of the application of a severely disabled woman in the final stages of multiple sclerosis who was seeking to be lawfully permitted to be assisted in taking her own life.