Gary Matthews Solicitors

Proposed legislation which will transform the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) into an enhanced Personal Injuries Resolution Board (PIRB) has been published.

Publishing the draft bill today, Robert Troy, minister of state for trade promotion, digital and company regulation, said the bill would deliver “effective and impactful reform” of PIAB.

The bill amends the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003-2019 to facilitate an increase in the number of personal injury claims that may be resolved through the Board’s process and without recourse to litigation.

It provides for a new function for the Board – mediation, and for amendments to the discretionary powers provided to the Board as set out in section 17 of the Principal Act and amendments to section 51A of the Act regarding costs in proceedings.

The bill also provides for the renaming of the Board and contains several amendments to the Act to enhance the role of the Board regarding promotion of the work of the Board; data analysis and reporting functions; and measures to help prevent fraud.

To read the full story please visit:
https://www.irishlegal.com/articles/bill-to-create-reformed-personal-injuries-resolution-board-published

and to read the draft bill please visit:
https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/legislation/legislation-files/personal-injuries-resolution-board-bill-2022.pdf

Darren Winters alleges prison staff were brought to hospital by ambulance but he was not allowed see a doctor

A prisoner who was travelling in a prison van that was rammed in an attempted breakout last month is suing the State, alleging he did not receive proper medical treatment.

On June 15th, a prison van was transporting inmates from a court sitting in Co Monaghan to Wheatfield Prison when it was struck from behind by a gold BMW X5, bearing false number plates.

Gardaí believe the incident, which occurred N2 at Kilcrow, Clontribbet, in Co Monaghan, was an attempt by a criminal gang to free one of the prisoners being transported in the van. However the masked occupants of the car aborted their plan after hitting the van. The car, which had been stolen before the breakout attempt, was found burnt out a short time later.

The incident left both prison staff and prisoners with injuries. This week one of the prisoners, Darren Winters, was granted leave to take a judicial review against the Irish Prison Service (IPS) and the State after he alleged they had failed to properly treat his injuries.

To read the full story please visit:
https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/2022/07/30/prisoner-in-van-rammed-in-attempted-breakout-sues-over-injuries/

St Mark’s GAA club, Tallaght claims woman was made redundant due to lack of custom and argues her claim of unfair dismissal at WRC is invalid

A Dublin GAA club’s former bar manager claims she was falsely made redundant because she objected to illicit drinking in the clubhouse during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Eileen Grimes has lodged a complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Act against St Mark’s GAA club, of McGee Park, Cookstown Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24 over being “locked out” of work in April 2020.

“The locks were changed because I caught people drinking in the clubhouse,” she told the Workplace Relations Commission.

The club denied the circumstances alleged by Ms Grimes and maintained she was properly made redundant because of the impact of the pandemic.

To read the full story please visit:
https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/courts/2022/08/03/gaa-clubs-bar-manager-claims-she-lost-job-after-objecting-to-covid-19-drinking/