Under the 1975 Act, the Attorney General may also request the Commission to examine specific areas of law in addition to those in a Programme of Law Reform. Below you will find a list of the all the references made by the Attorney General to the Law Reform Commission and the resulting Reports published.
Current Requests
The Commission has completed all outstanding referrals from the Attorney General to date.
2019
Matter Referred: Sexual offences: consent, knowledge and belief (referred April 2017)
Resulting Report: Knowledge or Belief Concerning Consent in Rape Law (LRC 122-2019)
2019
Matter Referred: Defamation and court reporting (referred December 2015)
Resulting Report: Report on Privilege for Reports of Court Proceedings under the Defamation Act 2009 (LRC 121-2019)
2009
Matter Referred: Mandatory Sentencing
Resulting Report: Report on Mandatory Sentences (LRC 108-2013)
2006
Matter Referred: Civil Liability of Good Samaritans and Volunteers (referred January 2006)
Resulting Report: Report on the Civil Liability of Good Samaritans and Volunteers (LRC 93-2009)
2005
Matter Referred: Adoption Law: Recognition of Foreign Adoptions by Irish Citizens Abroad (referred November 2005)
Resulting Report: Report on Aspects of Intercountry Adoption (LRC 89-2008)
2003
Matter Referred: Prosecution Appeals from unduly lenient sentences in the District Court
Resulting Report: Report on Prosecution Appeals and Pre-Trial Hearings (LRC 81-2006)
Matter Referred: The Establishment of a DNA Database
Resulting Report: Report on the Establishment of a DNA Database (LRC78-2005)
2002
Matter Referred: To undertake a study to examine the possible benefits of a revenue court and a fiscal prosecutor
Resulting Report: Report on a Fiscal Prosecutor and a Revenue Court (LRC 72-2004)
1998
Matter Referred: 'Gazumping'
Resulting Report: Report on Gazumping (LRC 59-1999)
1997
Matter Referred: The Statute of Limitation in cases in contract and tort involving latent damage other than personal injury
Resulting Report: Report on the Statute of Limitation: Claims in Contract and Tort in repect of Latent Damage (other than Personal Injury) (LRC 64-2001)
Matter Referred: Aggravated, Exemplary and Restitutionary Damages
Resulting Report: Report on Aggravated, Exemplary and Restitutionary Damages (LRC 60-2000)
Matter Referred: Overlap between damages award in personal injuries action and other benefits received by the plaintiff
Resulting Report: Report on the Civil Liability (Amendment) Act 1964: The Deductability of Collateral Benefits from Awards of Damages (LRC 68-2002)
1994
Matter Referred: The Law Relating to Bail
Resulting Report: Report on an Examination of the Law of Bail (LRC 50-1995)
1992
Matter Referred: The Law Relating to Occupiers' Liability
Resulting Report: Report on Occupiers' Liability (LRC 46-1994)
1989
Matter Referred: The Law of defamation and contempt of court
Resulting Reports:
1987
Matter Referred: Aspects of Criminal Law, including:
- sentencing policy;
- indexation of fines;
- confiscating and proceeds of crime; and
- whether there is need to revise or update the law relating to the various offences which are mainly governed by pre-1922 legislation, including, in particular, the laws relating to dishonesty, malicious damage and offences against the person
Resulting Reports:
Matter Referred: Sexual Offences Generally (Including in particular the law relating to rape and the sexual abuse of children)
Resulting Reports:
Matter Referred: The Law Relating to compensation for personal injuries cases including in particular:
- provision for periodic payments and the making of provisional awards; and
- the Statute of Limitations in cases of latent Personal Injury
Resulting Reports:
Matter Referred: The Law relating to Sheriffs, the collection of taxes and debt collection
Resulting Reports:
Matter Referred: Conveyancing Law and Practice, and where this could lead to savings for house purchasers
Resulting Reports:
1977
Matter Referred: Nullity of Marriage
Resulting Report: Report on the Nullity of Marriage (LRC 9-1984)
1976
Matter Referred: Prohibited Degrees of Relationship in Law of Marriage
Resulting Report: Report on the Nullity of Marriage (LRC 9-1984)
1975
Matter Referred: Domicil of Married Women
Resulting Report: Report on Domicile and Habitual Residence as Connecting Factors in the Conflict of Laws (LRC 7-1983)
Matter Referred: The law relating to the the age of majority
Resulting Reports: