ireland Covid-19

The Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021 is being expedited through the legislative process. It will provide for extensions to a number of time limits, including for the passing of development plans. Importantly however it will also allow for extensions, or additional extensions, to existing planning permissions to allow projects be completed. Planning permissions have a fixed duration, usually five years. Section 42 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) allows for a planning permission to be extended (once) in certain circumstances. An application has to be made before the planning permission has expired...

The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has adopted a statement on restrictions on data subject rights in connection with the state of emergency in Member States. The EDPB emphasises that, despite the international crisis, the GDPR remains applicable and allows an efficient response to the pandemic, while still protecting fundamental rights and freedoms. The EDPB’s statement was made in response to a Hungarian government decree dated 4 May 2020...

A&L Goodbody's Dr Vincent Power writes why the COVID-19/Coronavirus crisis demonstrates why an international convention is needed to deal with various aspects of shipping (including the repatriation of crew and passengers) in the event of another pandemic or epidemic...