Insights Public Law

Supreme Court Rules on Extending Statutory Appeal Time Limits

A recent ruling from the Supreme Court has confirmed that the High Court has the power to extend the statutory timeframe for lodging an appeal…

22/05/24

About Niall

Niall is a Litigation Partner in our Public, Regulatory & Investigations team. He specialises in the areas of sectoral and professional regulation, and professional discipline. In addition, Niall is an acknowledged expert in Freedom of Information.

Niall frequently appears for clients in the course of investigations, before investigatory bodies and in other forums. He also litigates on behalf of clients in high-profile and sometimes ground-breaking judicial review and statutory appeal proceedings in the courts.

He assists both regulators and regulated persons in navigating complex issues, including compliance, investigation and enforcement.

Clients appreciate Niall’s ability to distil intricate legal issues and provide clear, concise legal advice.

Related Practice Areas

Specialties

Public and Administrative Law
Regulatory Law
Disciplinary Law
Litigation (Judicial Review; Statutory Appeals; Plenary Proceedings)
Investigations and Inquiries
Information Law
Freedom of Information
Law of Evidence; Privilege; Disclosure
Public Procurement
Public Sector Corporate Governance
Constitutional and European Convention on Human Rights Law
Statutory Interpretation and Drafting

Additional Information

Authorship

Contributing author to "Freedom of Information: Philosophy and Implementation" (Blackhall Publishing)
Contributing author to "Freedom of Information: Law and Practice" (FirstLaw)
Contributing author (Ireland Chapter) to “LEGAL PROFESSIONAL PRIVILEGE, Global Handbook” (third edition) (DLA; Published in association with the European Company Lawyers Association)

Engagements

Lecturer on Public Affairs Ireland’s certificate course in Freedom of Information and on courses in Statutory Appeals and Judicial Review
Regular trainer and lecturer on legal topics, in-house at client venues, or at MHC and other venues. Topics include FOI, judicial review, decision-making in the public sector, legitimate expectations, legal professional privilege, and professional regulation

Education

University of Dublin, Trinity College, (BA Mod Legal Science)
University of Cambridge, England (LLM)
Honorable Society of King's Inns, Dublin (BL)

Representative Matters

- Representing the Commission for Regulation of Utilities in two parallel sets of regulatory judicial review proceedings challenging decisions of the Commission not to give full certification under the Energy Efficiency Directive to particular High-Efficiency Combined Heat and Power installations
- Advising in relation to the dissolution of the Commission for Aviation Regulation and the transfer of its functions and operations generally to the Irish Aviation Authority
- Representing Coillte, the State’s commercial forestry development agency, in a novel application to the High Court by the Commissioner for Environmental Information, in which the Commissioner has sought a determination by the Court of a number of complex questions of law. These questions of law arise in an appeal to the Commissioner by a requester against a decision of Coillte to refuse access to certain sensitive information under the Access to Information on the Environment Regulations
- Representing Ronan Group Real Estate in High Court public procurement proceedings against Dublin City Council challenging a decision of the Council concerning the awarding of a contract for the development of a new cultural and creative precinct on a well-known site in Poolbeg, Dublin, involving also the redevelopment of the iconic Pigeon House Power Station and historic Pigeon House Hotel.
- Successfully defending the Commission for Aviation Regulation in judicial review proceedings brought by Ryanair DAC against a direction to pay passengers compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004 for flight cancellations during a pilots’ strike of 2018
- Advising on and drafting the procedural regulations that will govern the procedure before the new Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal established under the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015
- Successfully defending the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal in two recent judicial review actions brought by solicitors challenging the holding by the Tribunal of inquiries into their conduct
- Representing the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal in a Supreme Court appeal involving important questions of law concerning the proper interpretation of the provisions of the Solicitors Acts providing for appeals by solicitors to the High Court against findings of misconduct, and the scope and limitations of such appeals.
- Representing the Housing Agency in a Freedom of Information appeal to the High Court against a decision of the Information Commissioner directing the release to a Sunday Independent journalist of the Agency’s assessment reports on numerous Approved Housing Bodies
- Representing the Commission for Regulation of Utilities in defending a statutory appeal and judicial review brought by Viridian Power Limited against a decision to modify its electricity generation licence to bring it into line with the new Integrated Single Electricity Market arrangements on the island of Ireland
- Representing a regulated financial service provider in a high-profile investigation and examination by the Central Bank of Ireland regarding tracker-mortgage arrangements with customers
- Representing TransCore LP, a global leader in motorway tolling services, in a Commercial Court public procurement challenge to a decision of Transport Infrastructure Ireland not to award it the M50 motorway tolling services contract, worth €400 million

Niall Michel

Supreme Court Rules on Extending Statutory Appeal Time Limits

About Niall

Authorship

Engagements

Education

Government & Public Sector Update

Freedom of Information Case Law Update

Seminar: Recent Developments in Professional Regulatory and Disciplinary Law