Awareness is growing in Donegal regarding the dangers and threat of Japanese Knotweed to houses and sites.

The presence of knotweed on site makes a property virtually unsaleable, and purchasers are warned to ensure their house purchase survey checks for the presence of knotweed on site or in the immediate vicinity of your property.

The cost of removal can be upwards of €10,000 per quarter acre, over a four year period.

While the majority of fatal farm accidents in the last number of weeks were caused by machinery, deaths caused by animals also feature. This is a reminder to farmers not only of the dangers but also the liabilities that are associated with stock.

The legal rules which cover liability for damage and injuries caused by animals are unusual in that they impose a 'strict liability' on the owner in many instances.

In a recent case on succession, Judge Paul Gilligan ruled that the homemade will of poet John O’Donohue was void due to uncertainty of its terms and meaning. The resulting decision meant that the entire €2 million estate left by the poet passed to his mother Josie.

Legislation to reduce the bankruptcy term from three years to one year will be in place by the end of the year, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said. Mr Kenny has told the Dáil that the Government has accepted the need to reduce the term from the recently introduced three years to one year.

We have a number of clients who have purchased homes and investment properties at auction recently.

It can be a way to purchase a bargain but there are risks involved. We hope the following guidelines will assist potential purchasers:

A lack of midwives and obstetricians has been highlighted as one of the reasons why there has been a reported increase in medical negligence claims against maternity units throughout the country.

Struggling homeowners will soon be able take advantage of one of the 27 special Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) outlets nationwide and will also be able to consult with court “mentors” during hearings. The Department of Social Protection is increasing the ability of MABS to assist distressed mortgage holders through a number of different measures including a greater role in offering information and advice through all stages of the mortgage arrears resolution process (MARP).

New measures to help those in debt

The new measures will also target dedicated mortgage arrears, focusing on cases which have been through MARP. This will help the mortgage holder to assess whether the option on offer from the lender is the “best and most sustainable option”. They will also be able to negotiate with the lender on behalf of the client where required.