Researching Irish Law

By Dr. Deirdre Leahy

Dr. Deirdre Leahy is a lecturer in technology and cybersecurity law at Munster Technological University (MTU) in Cork, Ireland. The information in this article is based on material previously published by Dr. Darius Whelan, a lecturer in law at University College, Cork, Ireland. Whelan established the Irish Law discussion list and the Irish Law website in 1994. He has also published articles on electronic access to Irish law in the Irish Law Times, the Bar Review, the Internet Newsletter for Lawyers, and the Irish Times.

Published November/December 2025

(Previously updated by Dr. Darius Whelan in October 2010, May 2016, and in September/October 2019)

See the Archive Version!

Brehon Law was one of the earliest forms of law in Ireland, and there have recently been attempts by the Brehon Law Project to revive interest in the subject. From the late twelfth century, Ireland was increasingly governed by English common law. By 1800, Ireland had been fully integrated into the United Kingdom through the Act of Union, passed that year. A new Constitution in 1922 meant that twenty-six counties became the independent “Irish Free State.” Six other counties in Northern Ireland remained part of the United Kingdom, and this has, of course, been the subject of great controversy since then. (See Sarah Carter and Hester Swift’s Guide to the UK Legal System for information on Northern Irish law.)

Article 73 of the 1922 Constitution carried all previous UK law forward into Irish law, which explains why some pre-1922 UK statutes are still in force in Ireland. A similar provision is found in Article 50 of the 1937 Constitution.

2. The Irish Constitution of 1937

The full text of the 1937 Constitution is available at various sites, including the Office of the Attorney General. This Constitution, which remains in force today, renamed the State’ Ireland’ (Article 4) and established four main institutions: the President, the Oireachtas (Parliament), the Government, and the Courts.

The President is the directly elected Head of State, but his/her powers are largely ceremonial. The President normally acts on the advice (instructions) of the Government. The Oireachtas (Parliament) consists of two Houses–the directly elected Dáil and indirectly elected Seanad. The Government is the executive and consists of the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) and ministers. The most significant courts are the High Court, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court. Descriptions of the powers of each of the institutions are available at the following sites:

The Constitution also contains a strong set of fundamental rights, as outlined in Articles 40-44, including the rights to equality before the law, freedom of expression, and freedom of religion, among others. The courts may issue binding decisions that legislation is unconstitutional if it breaches these fundamental rights.

The Constitution has been amended on numerous occasions, and each amendment requires a referendum. In 1972, the Constitution was amended to recognize Ireland’s membership of the EEC (now the EU), and there have been similar amendments to recognize major new European Treaties such as the Amsterdam Treaty of 1997. The Belfast Agreement led to major amendments in 1998. Divorce was introduced by constitutional amendment in 1995, and abortion has been the subject of controversial amendments in 1983, 1992, and 2018.

Ireland is also a member of the Council of Europe and has ratified the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The provisions of the ECHR may be relied upon in domestic courts as a result of the European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003.

3. Primary Legislation: Acts of the Oireachtas

Approximately forty Acts of the Oireachtas are passed each year. These are available in print from the Government Publications Office.

In electronic form, there are various sources:

  • The British and Irish Legal Information Institute (BaiLII) offers Acts as enacted from 1922 to date. Amendments are not incorporated into legislation; therefore, great care must be taken when using this site to search for subsequent amendments to the Acts. Some pre-1922 legislation that continues to apply in Ireland can be found in the E
  • The electronic Irish Statute Book site provides access to the Acts from 1922 to date and, crucially, also the Legislation Directory, which lists amendments to date. It is also possible to a certain extent to see whether a particular section of an Act is in force by checking the Commencement Orders section of the Legislation Directory.
  • The Law Reform Commission site provides over 350 revised Acts, which are administrative consolidations of Acts. It focuses on frequently used legislation and is a valuable resource for checking amendments to existing laws.
  • The Houses of the Oireachtas offers access to all Acts passed from 1922 to date, as well as all bills published from 1997 to date. The site lists the legislative history of Bills to date, including links to all relevant Parliamentary debates.

4. Secondary Legislation: Statutory Instruments

Government Ministers make most subordinate legislation under powers conferred on them by Acts. Approximately 500 pieces of subordinate legislation are passed per year. Electronic access is provided at the following sites:

5. Courts and Case Law

The main court’s website, along with decisions of the superior courts, contains information on court practice and procedure, as well as valuable practical information on the workings of the courts in Ireland. This includes details on family law procedures and other civil law issues and procedures.

The principal printed series of reports are the Irish Reports and Irish Law Reports Monthly, cited as “IR” and “ILRM” respectively. Many cases remain unreported and are stored in the libraries of major universities or professional bodies. For electronic access to reported and unreported cases, see the following:

  • British and Irish Legal Information Institute (BaiLII). The most significant data are found in the Supreme Court (“IESC”), Court of Appeal (“IECA”), and High Court (“IEHC”) directories. The database is not comprehensive, so it is important to consult other sources. BaiLII also provides access to decisions of the Competition Authority (IECA) and the Information Commissioner (IEIC), as well as case studies published by the Data Protection Commissioner (IDPC). In addition, BaiLII also introduced vendor-neutral citations in Irish case-law, e.g., a Supreme Court case on BaiLII may be cited as [2000] IESC 12.
  • The Courts Service Judgments Database offers access to recent cases from the High Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Appeal.
  • vLex (formerly Justis) is a fee-based service that offers ongoing access to judgments. A seven-day trial is available.
  • LexisNexis. The “Ireland” library contains many reported and unreported cases.
  • Westlaw.IE covers Irish Law Reports Monthly, Employment Law Reports, Irish Current Law Statutes Annotated, and various other materials.
  • European case law is available in various formats. See, e.g., the Court of Justice of the EU website.

6. Government Websites

The main Irish government website contains information from every government department and most state bodies. The parts of most legal relevance, which have not been mentioned above, include:

Note also the Citizens’ Information portal site, which includes summaries of relevant laws.

7. Solicitors and Barristers

Solicitors are educated and regulated by the Law Society. Solicitors/firms can be found using the Law Society’s “Find a Solicitor/Firm” services.

Barristers are educated by the King’s Inns and regulated by the Bar Council/Law Library. Only a few barristers have websites; see, for example, William McLoughlin BL.

8. University Law Departments and Schools

The main University Law Departments and Faculties have websites that list staff interests, courses available, and other relevant information. Here they are in alphabetical order:

9. Irish Law Websites

The primary portal site, managed by Dr. Darius Whelan, is the Irish Law Site, hosted by the University College Cork Law School. This site has been in existence since 1994 and contains links to all the major resources concerning Irish law, many of which have been mentioned above. It also includes the facility to join a low-traffic “Updates” list by filling in one’s name and e-mail address on the home page.

The IRLII site includes recent Irish case law on areas such as Administrative Law, Constitutional Law, Commercial Law, Family Law, Property Law, and Tort. This has not been updated since 2017 and currently seems to be unavailable.

Other important Irish law websites include the following:

Another online guide to Irish law:

10. Discussion Lists and Electronic Newsletters

11. Blogs

12. Books

It is difficult to select the most essential books on Irish law, and those with a specific interest in a particular area would be well advised to search the online catalogues of major Irish universities (e.g., Trinity College Dublin’s catalogue) for comprehensive listings. What follows is a list of some of the more significant titles in recent years. See also the Law Society’s Subject Practice Guides.

General Books:

  • Raymond Byrne, Paul McCutcheon, Laura Cahillane & Emma Roche-Cagney, The Irish Legal System, 7th ed., Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin, 2021.
  • Brian Hunt, Murdoch and Hunt’s Dictionary of Irish Law, 6th ed., Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin, 2016.
  • Thomas O’Malley, Sources of Law: An Introduction to Legal Research and Writing, 2nd ed., Round Hall, Dublin, 2001.
  • Raymond Byrne and William Binchy, Annual Reviews of Irish Law, Round Hall, Dublin, 1987 to date.
  • Brian Doolan, Principles of Irish Law, 8th ed., Gill and Macmillan, Dublin, 2011.

Administrative Law:

  • Gerard Hogan, David Gwynn Morgan, and Paul Daly, Administrative Law in Ireland, 5th ed., Round Hall, Dublin, 2019.
  • Fiona Donson & Darren O’Donovan, Law and Public Administration in Ireland, Clarus Press, Dublin, 2015.

Banking Law:

  • Mary Donnelly, The Law of Credit and Security,3rd ed., Round Hall, Dublin, 2021
  • John Breslin & Elizabeth Corcoran, Banking Law, 4th ed., Round Hall, Dublin, 2018.
  • William Johnston, Banking and Security Law in Ireland, 2nd ed., Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin 2020.Commercial and Consumer Law.
  • Fidelma White, Commercial Law, 3rd ed., Thomson Round Hall, Dublin, 2021.
  • Mary Donnelly & Fidelma White, Consumer Law: Rights and Regulation, Round Hall, Dublin, 2014.
  • Michael Forde, Commercial Law, 4th ed., Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin 2020, Company Law.
  • Thomas Courtney, Law of Companies, 4th ed., Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin, 2016, with contributions from Brian Hutchinson and Dáibhí O’Leary.
  • Michael Forde & Hugh Kennedy, Company Law, 5th ed., Round Hall, Dublin, 2017.
  • G. Brian Hutchinson, Keane on Company Law, 6th ed, Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin, 2024.
  • Irene Lynch Fannon & Gerard Murphy, Corporate Insolvency and Rescue, 3rd ed., Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin, 2019.

Constitutional Law

  • Gerard Hogan, Gerry Whyte, David Kenny & Rachael Walsh, Kelly’s Irish Constitution, 5th ed., Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin, 2018.
  • Michael Forde & David Leonard, Constitutional Law of Ireland, 3rd ed., Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin, 2013.

Contract Law

  • Robert Clark, Contract Law in Ireland, 9th ed., Thomson Round Hall, Dublin, 2022.
  • Raymond Friel, Law of Contract, 2nd ed., Round Hall, Dublin, 2000.

Criminal Law

  • Liz Campbell, Shane Kilcommins & Catherine O’Sullivan, Criminal Law in Ireland: Cases and Commentary, 2nd ed., Clarus Press, Dublin, 2021.
  • Peter Charleton, Paul McDermott, Ciara Herlihy, and Stephen Byrne, Criminal Law, 2nd ed., Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin, 2020. Conor Hanly, An Introduction to Irish Criminal Law, 3rd ed., Gill and Macmillan, Dublin, 2015.

Data Protection

  • Laura L. Keogh, Data Protection Compliance: A Guide to GDPR and Irish Data Protection Law, Clarus Press, 2019.

Employment Law / Labour Law

  • Neville Cox, Val Corbett & Des Ryan, Employment Law in Ireland 2nd ed., (Dublin: Clarus Press, 2022).
  • Frances Meenan, Employment Law, Round Hall, Dublin, 2014.
  • Ailbhe Murphy & Maeve Regan (eds.), Employment Law, 2nd ed. (Haywards Heath: Tottel, 2017).
  • Brenda Daly & Michael Doherty, Principles of Irish Employment Law, Clarus Press, Dublin, 2010.
  • Michael Forde & Anthony Paul Byrne, Employment Law, 3rd ed. (Dublin: Round Hall, 2009).

Environmental Law

  • John Gore-Grimes, Planning and Environmental Law in Ireland, Bloomsbury Professional, Haywards Heath, 2011.
  • Yvonne Scannell, Environmental and Land Use Law, Round Hall, Dublin, 2006.
  • Áine Ryall, Effective judicial protection and the environmental impact assessment directive in Ireland, Hart, Oxford, 2009.
  • Bernadette Connaughton, The Implementation of Environmental Policy in Ireland: Lessons
  • from Translating EU Directives into Action. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2019.

Equity and Trusts

  • Hilary Biehler, Equity and the Law of Trusts in Ireland, 7th ed., Round Hall, Dublin, 2020.
  • Aileen Keogan, John Mee & J.C.W. Wylie, Law and Taxation of Trusts, Tottel, Haywards Heath, 2007.

Evidence

  • Caroline Fennell, Law of Evidence in Ireland, 4th ed., Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin, 2020.
  • Liz Heffernan, Evidence in Criminal Trials, 2nd ed., Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin, 2021.

Family and Child Law

  • Louise Crowley, Marianne Joyce, Family Law, 2nd ed., Round Hall, Dublin, 2023.
  • Ursula Kilkelly, Children’s Rights in Ireland: Law, Policy and Practice, 2nd ed., Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin 2016.
  • Jim Nestor, An Introduction to Irish Family Law, 4th ed., Gill & Macmillan, Dublin, 2011.

Human Rights

  • Ursula Kilkelly (ed.), The ECHR and Irish Law, 2nd ed., Jordan Publishing, Bristol, 2009.
  • Fiona de Londras & Cliona Kelly, European Convention on Human Rights Act: Operation, Impact and Analysis, Round Hall, Dublin, 2010.
  • Suzanne Egan, Liam Thornton, Judy Walsh (eds), Ireland and the European Convention on Human Rights: 60 years and beyond, Bloomsbury Professional, Haywards Heath, 2014.

Information Technology Law

  • Denis Kelleher and Karen Murray, Information Technology Law in Ireland, 2nd ed., Tottel, Haywards Heath, 2007.
  • Maeve McDonagh & Mícheál O’Dowd, Cyber Law in Ireland, Kluwer, Alphen aan den Rijn, 2015.
  • Ronan Kennedy & Maria Helen Murphy, Information and Communications Technology Law in Ireland, Clarus Press, 2017.
  • David Cowan, Law and Technology, Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin, 2025.

Intellectual Property Law

  • Robert Clark, Shane Smyth & Niamh Hall, Intellectual Property Law in Ireland, 4th ed., Bloomsbury Professional, Haywards Heath, 2016.
  • Eva Nagle, Intellectual Property Law, Round Hall, Dublin, 2012
  • Glen Gibbons, Trade Marks Law, 3rd ed., Clarus Press, Dublin, 2023.

Medical and Mental Health Law

  • Deirdre Madden, Medicine, Ethics and the Law, 4th ed., Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin, 2023.
  • Simon Mills, Medical Law in Ireland, 3rd ed., Bloomsbury Professional, Haywards Heath, 2017.
  • Darius Whelan, Mental Health Law and Practice: Civil and Criminal Aspects, Round Hall, Dublin, 2009.
  • Anne Marie O’Neill, Irish Mental Health Law, FirstLaw, Dublin, 2005.
  • Mary Donnelly & Claire Murray (eds.). Ethical and Legal Debates in Irish Healthcare: Confronting Complexities, Manchester University Press, 2016.

Planning Law

  • David Browne, Simons on Planning Law, 3rd ed., Round Hall, 2021. John Gore-Grimes, Planning and Environmental Law in Ireland, Bloomsbury Professional, Haywards Heath, 2011.
  • Philip O’Sullivan & Katharine Shepherd, Irish Planning Law and Practice (Butterworths/ Bloomsbury Professional, 1991 with updates) (loose-leaf).

Property Law

  • Fiona de Londras, Principles of Irish Property Law, 2d ed., Clarus Press, Dublin, 2011
  • Paul Coughlan, Property Law, 2nd ed., Gill and Macmillan, Dublin, 1998.
  • Andrew Lyall with Albert Power, Land Law in Ireland, 3rd ed., Round Hall, Dublin, 2010.
  • Robert Pearce and John Mee, Land Law, 3rd ed., Round Hall, Dublin, 2011.
  • J.C.W. Wylie, Irish Land Law, 6th ed., Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin, 2019.
  • J.C.W. Wylie, Irish Landlord and Tenant Law, 4th ed., Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin, 2022.

Succession and Probate Law

  • Albert Keating, Keating on Probate, 2nd ed., Round Hall, Dublin, 2019.
  • Albert Keating, The Law of Wills, 2nd ed., Clarus Press, Dublin, 2018.
  • Christopher Lehane, Succession Law, Bloomsbury Professional, Dublin, 2022.

Torts

  • Bryan McMahon & William Binchy, Irish Law of Torts, 4th Edition, Bloomsbury Professional, Haywards Heath, 2012.
  • Eoin Quill, Torts in Ireland, 4th ed., Gill and Macmillan, Dublin, 2014.

13. Journals

Round Hall publishes most journals, and in the list below, this is indicated by “RH” in brackets. The full text of Round Hall journals is available in the fee-paying Westlaw.IE database. Clarus Press publishes a range of books and journals for Irish and EU legal practitioners, academics, and students.

Journal articles up to 1983 are indexed in the following:

  • O’Higgins, Paul, A Bibliography of Periodical Literature Relating to Irish Law. Belfast: Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly, 1966.
  • O’Higgins, Paul, First Supplement to A Bibliography of Periodical Literature Relating to Irish Law. Belfast: Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly, 1973.
  • O’Higgins, Paul, Second Supplement to A Bibliography of Periodical Literature Relating to Irish Law. Belfast: SLS Publications, 1983.

From 1983 to 1997, there was no comprehensive index available, although a few journals were indexed in the Index to Legal Periodicals and on the IRLII website.

From 1997 until 2017, many journals were indexed in the excellent IRLII Legal Periodicals Index, hosted by the UCC Law Faculty at Legal Periodicals. Since October 2019, the Legal Periodicals Index has been amalgamated with the IRLII journals index. An index of articles published in the leading Irish legal journals from 1997 to date is now found on the IRLII website hosted by the School of Law, UCC. A list of Irish Law Journals and an Index of Articles from circa 1996 to circa 2017 can also be found on the NetLawMan site.

General Journals

Specialist Journals