Thinking about setting up a charity but unsure where to start?

In this episode of the VAS Podcast, Gemma McLoughlin-Burke BL is joined by Sean O’Sullivan BL and Claire Colfer, Senior Associate, Charities and Not-for-Profit at Mason Hayes & Curran LLP to break down the essentials.

From understanding what legally defines a charity under the Charities Act 2009 to navigating registration requirements, governance structures, and common pitfalls, this episode is a comprehensive guide for anyone exploring the non-profit space.

Key topics include:

What qualifies as a charity (and what doesn’t)

The difference between non-profits and registered charities

Trustee responsibilities and legal obligations

The charity registration process step-by-step

Practical advice for getting started and avoiding delays

Whether you’re launching a new initiative or supporting an existing organisation, this episode offers clear, practical guidance to help you build a strong foundation.

Important note: This podcast is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Listeners should seek independent legal advice in relation to their specific circumstances.

Is “smash and grab” dead in Irish construction law?

The High Court has spoken. In this episode of the Construction Bar Association’s podcast, James Burke SC and Jonathan Fitzgerald BL break down the landmark Tender Bids (No. 2) decision and what it means for adjudication, fair procedures, and the future of payment disputes.

They explain how Tender Bids (No. 1)—the first High Court decision involving Tender Bids Ltd and the employer—refused enforcement of an adjudicator’s decision on jurisdictional grounds, before turning to the much‑anticipated Tender Bids (No. 2) ruling. Delivered by Mr Justice Simons in January 2026, Tender Bids (No. 2) directly addressed whether an adjudicator can make a default (“smash and grab”) payment award where a payment claim notice was not responded to within 21 days.

Mr Justice Simons has now clarified in Tenderbids Limited t/a Bastion v Electrical Waste Management [2026] IEHC 5 that no such default entitlement exists. “Smash and grab” adjudications—familiar under the equivalent UK legislation—are not a feature of the Construction Contracts Act 2013. The episode explains why default payment claims no longer exist under Irish construction law and what practitioners must do next.

In Part Three of this joint series between Community Law & Mediation and the Voluntary Assistance Scheme of The Bar of Ireland, co‑hosts Gemma McLoughlin Burke BL and Aoife Kelly Desmond explore how we can meet new areas of need such as children’s law and environmental justice, the role of community law centres in a new civil legal aid system and how we can make sure community law is a career pathway for young practitioners.

Our guests this week are Éamonn Conlon SC, Chair of Community Law and Mediation and Claire McSweeney, Manager of Ballymun Community Law Centre.

For more on CLM, visit communitylawandmediation.ie/

For more on The Bar of Ireland Voluntary Assistance Scheme visit: lawlibrary.ie/vas

In Part Two of this joint series between Community Law & Mediation and the Voluntary Assistance Scheme of The Bar of Ireland, co‑hosts Gemma McLoughlin Burke BL and Aoife Kelly Desmond explore how community law operates where it matters most: on the ground, alongside the people directly affected by access to justice issues.

Featuring contributions from Alan D.P. Brady SC and Jane O’Sullivan, Managing Solicitor at CLM, this episode looks at the real practice of community‑based legal work, including its cases, its challenges, and its impact.

From campaigns shaped by frontline experience to the role of outreach, the conversation uncovers how independent law centres drive systemic change while supporting individuals who would otherwise fall through the cracks.

For more on CLM, visit communitylawandmediation.ie/

For more on The Bar of Ireland Voluntary Assistance Scheme visit: lawlibrary.ie/vas

In the first of a three-part collaboration with Community Law and Mediation and The Bar of Ireland Voluntary Assistance Scheme, we explore how the community law model arose in Ireland, the essential services such centres provide, and the strong relationship between community law and legal practitioners.

Hosts Gemma McLoughlin Burke BL (Co-ordinator of the VAS) and Aoife Kelly-Desmond (CEO of CLM) welcome Prof. Gerry Whyte (Trinity Law School) and Eilis Barry (Free Legal Advice Centres) for an insightful discussion on the history of this area, from the Pringle Report in 1977 to the place of law centres in our legal system today.

For more on CLM, visit https://communitylawandmediation.ie/

For more on The Bar of Ireland Voluntary Assistance Scheme visit: https://lawlibrary.ie/vas

In this episode in association with the Sports Law Bar Association, Susan Ahern SC speaks with Chris Bryant MBE, Managing Director of UK & Ireland 2028 Ltd, and Úna McNamara, Director of Legal & Company Secretary, for an insider’s look at the road to hosting UEFA EURO 2028.

They unpack how a five‑nation partnership secured the winning bid, the creation of a standalone organising committee, and the legal and operational machinery required to deliver 51 matches across nine stadiums.

From Dublin’s role as a major host city to the vast volunteer programme and the €4 billion projected economic impact, the conversation explores the opportunities, challenges, and ambitions behind staging Europe’s biggest football event.

Efficient delivery of infrastructure is a critical issue for Ireland.

In recent months, public debate around infrastructure delivery has been dominated by the claim that judicial review is a central bottleneck. But does the evidence tell a different story?

Ahead of our Infrastructure Conference on 27 February, we're outlining the facts about judicial review.

In this episode, Seán Guerin SC (Chair of the Council of The Bar of Ireland), Tom Flynn SC (Chair, Planning, Environmental and Local Government Bar Association) and Phoebe Duvall (Planning and Environmental Policy Officer at An Taisce) set out the risks of a recent proposal by the Government to change the environmental judicial review process.

They argue that the proposals will create key issues for access to justice, risk breaching the State's obligations under EU law and potentially cause further delays rather than reducing them.

To read The Bar of Ireland’s submission and to join the waitlist for our conference ‘Accelerating Infrastructure and the Future of Judicial Review, click here: https://www.lawlibrary.ie/judicial-review-submission-published/

Read An Taisce and Friends of the Irish Environment’s position on this issue here: https://www.antaisce.org/news/calling-on-minister-to-scrap-the-consulation-on-changes-to-legal-cost-rules-for-environmental-cases

A reflective conversation with Tom Mallon BL, Peter Ward SC and Caroline Doyle BL, looking back at the previous decade in employment law ahead of the tenth annual conference of the Employment Bar Association.

Hosted by Cathy McGrady BL and covering areas from the founding of the EBA to landmark legal reforms like the Zalewski decision, the episode explores how the EBA has impacted the employment law arena and continues to be a vital voice and resource for practitioners. With insights into upcoming conference sessions on remedies, international developments, and the development and future of the WRC, this episode will be of interest to anyone working in or curious about the future of employment law in Ireland.

Book tickets for the EBA 10th Annual Conference on 14 November: https://ti.to/eba/ebaconf25?source=podcast

In the final instalment of the Family Law Podcast Series, Judge Marie Baker and Claire Collins SC tie together the threads of family law with a sharp look at the mechanics of jurisdiction and enforcement. Explored in this episode: the legal implications of living apart under one roof, the enforceability of oral settlements and the penalties that can arise from non-disclosure.

This conclusion to the series also takes a look forward at how the complexity of family law continues to evolve, and the importance of upholding fairness and transparency.

Episode Notes:

RL v MR [2025] IEHC 340 https://www.courts.ie/view/judgments/e2a97ee7-da89-4048-862b-7ca22f880938/325defff-0b5f-4f03-8a60-93e350eac576/2025_IEHC_340.pdf/pdf

R v N [2023] IEHC 748 https://www.courts.ie/acc/alfresco/a3199503-4424-4696-8651-2921f19e319d/2023_IEHC_748.pdf/pdf#view=fitH

AA v BA [2014] IESC 49 https://www.courts.ie/acc/alfresco/75ec1328-af9c-4cdd-ac8a-f6f070981bc9/2014_IESC_49_1.pdf/pdf#view=fitH

SN v PO’D [2009] IESC 21

https://www.courts.ie/acc/alfresco/9954f58c-af32-4c59-88bc-750c61402d14/2009_IESC_61_1.pdf/pdf#view=fitH

CCK v SLK [2024] IEHC 492 https://www.courts.ie/search/judgments/%22%20type%3AJudgment%22%20AND%20%22filter%3Aalfresco_radio.title%22%20AND%20%22filter%3Aalfresco_NeutralCitation.2024%20%20IEHC%20492%22

CP v RP [2025] IEHC 332 https://www.courts.ie/acc/alfresco/c471cc65-bb12-4e28-9e0a-b98ec98ca606/2025_IEHC_332.pdf/pdf#view=fitH

DF v CK [2025] IEHC 343 https://www.courts.ie/acc/alfresco/13089ced-8215-42aa-9dd6-5efd5b08ff32/2025_IEHC_343.pdf/pdf#view=fitH

Disclaimer:

The presenters are not offering or seeking to offer legal advice or assistance. Their aim is to explain some new cases which elucidate the constitutional and legal principles in divorce and judicial separation.

Any person who is affected by any of the issues raised, or the examples used, should consult with a solicitor.

In the penultimate episode of this series, Judge Baker and Claire Collins SC review a series of Circuit Court appeals, showcasing how judges apply family law principles in cases with modest assets. Topics discussed include personal injury awards, non-disclosure, nesting arrangements, deferred sales, and equitable asset division. How can judges exercise creativity in these cases - and how can this affect the real-life impact on separating families?

Episode Notes:

C.C.K. v. S.L.K Jackson J., 8 July, (2024)IEHC 492

https://www.courts.ie/acc/alfresco/bc9ab65f-2ed2-4d3c-9878-53568df6d4a4/2024_IEHC_492.pdf/pdf#view=fitH

M v. N Jackson J., 23 November, 2023 , 2023 IEHC 759

https://www.courts.ie/acc/alfresco/bc9ab65f-2ed2-4d3c-9878-53568df6d4a4/2024_IEHC_492.pdf/pdf#view=fitH

F.F. v. S.B. Jackson J., 25 November, 2024 2024 IEHC 745

https://www.courts.ie/acc/alfresco/b52a8ca6-417a-43ca-ab9e-d8a85fe3130c/2024_IEHC_745.pdf/pdf#view=fitH

K.B. v. R.B Jackson J. 18 June 2025, [2025] IEHC 342

https://www.courts.ie/acc/alfresco/317668d2-4e54-4315-ad15-2291793319f4/2025_IEHC_342.pdf/pdf#view=fitH

E. v. N Jordan J., 2025 IEHC 323, 7 May 2025

https://www.courts.ie/acc/alfresco/b57b0ad4-b0b5-415d-8f3a-3726b04738c8/2025_IEHC_323.pdf/pdf#view=fitH

Disclaimer:

The presenters are not offering or seeking to offer legal advice or assistance. Their aim is to explain some new cases which elucidate the constitutional and legal principles in diviorce and judicial separation.

Any person who is affected by any of the issues raised, or the examples used, should consult with a solicitor.