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On 11 April 2014, after a 40 day hearing, Mr Justice O’Neill dismissed the case of Mr Richard O’Callaghan, who alleged he had become paralysed for two years as a result of negligence on behalf of the Defendant, Mr Frank Dowling following a complex spinal surgery in April 2005.

On 1 April 2014 the Government published a White Paper on its proposed Universal Health Insurance policy. The White Paper states that access to health services will be based on need and not ability to pay.

The system of registration for septic tanks came into operation on 31 March 2012 following the enactment of the Water Service (Amendment) Act 2012. The purpose of the Act was to monitor waste water discharges from all households that are not connected to a public sewer network. The Act provided that all domestic waste water treatment systems should be registered by 1 February 2013 and failure to do so will have implications which are set out below. It is the responsibility of the owner of the waste treatment system to register their system.

The High Court recently overturned a permanent stay imposed by the Circuit Court on three related medical negligence actions (1) .

The European Court of Justice (CJEU) issued two significant decisions on 18 March 2014 limiting employment rights for surrogate mothers.

In a recent High Court decision, (Stobart (Ireland) Driver Services Ltd -v- Carrol), Kearns J upheld a Labour Court decision to reinstate and compensate a lorry driver who had been dismissed after he complained that he was too tired to work a shift. He was reinstated to the job from the date of dismissal which included all back pay which amounted to approximately €30,000.