021 4824426 (Glanmire) | 025 54000 (Fermoy)|info@odowd.ie

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Farmers Succession Advice Planning Grant

The scheme, due to open from September 19th 2023 aims to encourage and support farmers aged 60 years and above to seek succession planning advice by contributing up to 50% of vouched legal, accounting, and advisory costs, subject to a maximum payment of €1,500. Those eligible to apply are: farmers aged 60 years and above who are currently not in a succession farm partnership; are farming at least a minimum of 3ha of land at the time of application; and are farming for a minimum of two years prior to application.

Application will be open until the end of 2023 and […]

By |2023-08-20T10:09:51+01:00August 20th, 2023|

Questions arise over Data Protection and the Decision Support Service

Earlier this year the Mental Health Commission & Decision Support Service (DSS) moved a longstanding legal instrument known as an enduring power of attorney (EPA) into an online format. Previously EPAs were a document created by solicitor and were for all intents and purposes a paper documents. The new EPA is one created online using a new DSS portal. Unsurprisingly it was necessary to commission an Data Protection Impact Assessment, but somewhat surprising is that the DPIA commissioned highlights a number of serious flaws, which may well open the DSS and Mental Health Commission to future litigation as well as […]

By |2023-07-22T15:19:55+01:00July 22nd, 2023|

Data Breaches and “the stay”

We read with interest the decision of Judge John O’Connor in the Irish times on the 18th May 2023 concerning the application by the HSE for a stay against a plaintiff seeking to recover damages for the breach by the HSE of the GDPR. The claim stems from the 2021 cyber attack which we have commented on extensively and in respect of which we have a number of proceedings in being (although we have no involvement in the above case)

At first glance the position adopted by Judge O’Connor seems like an attractive “wait and see” position for an Irish […]

By |2023-05-18T08:58:55+01:00May 18th, 2023|

Two for the price of one? PIABs lack of analysis for complex injuries

Having reviewed a number of awards from PIAB since the introduction of the new “Personal Injuries Guidelines” (or the PIGs as one might call them) there seems to be a clear trend from the Board in misapplying the Guidelines and undervaluing injuries. Congratulatory comments from  PIAB as to their stunning ability to reduce awards makes one worder if this paucity of analysis is intentional or purely due to a lack of experience.

One large issue arises from the requirement of the Board (and a Court for that matter) to have special care when considering the effect of multiple injuries on the […]

By |2022-07-27T23:35:29+01:00July 27th, 2022|

Make your will the easy way

Normally making your will involves two trips to a solicitor. One to give instructions, and a second to execute the will. We have tried to reduce this to one visit.

Using our online tool (featured in the Irish Examiner) you can give instructions online using a interactive questionnaire. You will be prompted with ideas and suggestions as you go, which will help you make an informed and sensible decision. You can then pay online, of if you like arrange for an invoice to issue later. This should not be confused with some online will writing services. An experienced solicitor will […]

By |2022-06-13T00:07:55+01:00June 13th, 2022|

HSE Data Breach – September Update (is the truth starting to come out?)

On the 15th May 2021 the Data Protection Officer (DPO) for the HSE made a data breach notification to the Data Protection Commission. In that notification he said that a day earlier the HSE suffered a data security breach of its IT systems.

After some difficulty we have obtained the official data breach notification pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act. In the notification to the Data Protection Commission the stark facts were set out bluntly; approximately 4.9 million people had been affected by the breach, and the data disclosed to certain nefarious actors included

  1. Data Subject Identity data (name, surname, […]
By |2021-09-30T10:00:16+01:00September 29th, 2021|

2021 Conveyancing Guide now available

We realised our old Conveyancing Guide was now hopelessly out of date, so there was nothing for it only to update it for 2021. We try to be as honest as possible, don’t do any hard sell, try and get you to jump through hoops, or make your life more difficult than it needs to be in any way, that goes for both downloading the guide and retaining us as your Solicitors.

As always please do not hesitate to contact us if you need a quote to buy, sell or re-mortgage using our online form. 

By |2021-09-06T22:16:12+01:00September 6th, 2021|

Google Reviews, the rule of Law, and Big Tech having a laugh

We note that today the office of the Irish Data Protection Commission levied a fine of €225m on Whatsapp, a messaging arm of Facebook. This was done in the context of outrage from a number of other European Data Protection Commissioners. They felt quite rightfully that the original proposed fine of €30m was far too low given the revenues of Facebook. It was not a sufficient incentive to obey the law.

Overall, it looks very bad for Ireland that the Irish DPC had to be dragged kicking a screaming to levy a sensible fine for egregious breaches of European law. None […]

By |2021-09-02T15:07:47+01:00September 2nd, 2021|

The Wildlife Act & Cutting Hedges

We have had a number of queries from clients with developmental and agricultural holdings in respect of the legality (or illegality) of cutting hedges during the “closed season”. The Wildlife Act 1976 (as amended) provides that it is illegal to cut hedges from the 1st March to the 31st August. This is for the very good reason that birds and wildlife tend to be nesting and active in the hedgerows during that time of the year.

Farmers and developers often note that it is very difficult, or even impossible to maintain hedges in fields during the winter. It is however worth […]

By |2021-03-09T11:53:36+00:00March 9th, 2021|

More Covid Updates

We continue to to be open for business as an essential service. In the interests of the safety and well being of our staff we are however avoid in person meetings as much as possible. We can however facilitate consultations by Zoom, Teams, Face time or our own favorite “Whereby”,

Stay Safe,  from all at O’Dowd Solicitors.

 

By |2021-03-01T16:38:16+00:00March 1st, 2021|

Limited Liability Partnership

O’Dowd Solicitors LLP is authorised by the Legal Services Regulatory Authority in Ireland to operate as a limited liability partnership under the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015.

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Glanmire Office

Crestfield Centre, Glanmire, Cork

Phone: 021 4824426
Email: info@odowd.ie

Fermoy Office

68 Patrick St., Fermoy, Co. Cork

Phone: 025 54000
Email: info@odowd.ie

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