Connolly Sellors Geraghty Solicitors

At the recent LAWorld conference in Amsterdam CSG Partner Joe Murphy was elected to the Council of LAWorld to represent the European region. The Conference was an opportunity for members to meet with peers from similar independent legal firms around the world and to explore their possible interest in linking up within the network. A special visit was arranged for attendees to attend at the War Crime Tribunal currently being held at the nearby International Court of Justice at The Hague. LAWorld will hold their 2006 conference in Mexico City, 2007 conference in Delhi and 2008 conference in Ireland. For further information

CSG is delighted to announce that it has been the sole provider of legal services to Wentbridge Properties Ltd., the developer responsible for the landmark City East Retail Park Development in Limerick.

CSG have recently been appointed by Bank of Ireland as securities advisor in relation to tax-based projects in the Galway and Limerick area in healthcare, retail and multi- story development

CSG are pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Gilroy to the firm's Corporate and Commercial department. Michael joins the firm following a number of years working for a commercial firm in Dublin. Prior to working as a solicitor Michael spent a number of years working in Brussels for the European Commission and the European Parliament. Michael is also an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Irish Branch) and advises on the areas of Corporate and Commercial, EU law and Arbitration

The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has published Revised Guidelines on Retail Planning for Planning Authorities following the review of the floor space cap on retail warehouses. The Guidelines have been amended to provide that the floor space cap on retail warehouses will no longer apply within the functional areas of the four Dublin local authorities and in the other National Spatial Strategy Gateways. The Gateway towns and cities are Athlone, Tullamore, Mullingar, Cork, Dublin, Dundalk, Galway, Letterkenny, Limerick, Shannon, Sligo and Waterford. The relaxation will only apply in areas subject to Integrated Area Plans under the Urban Renewal Act 1998. The 6,000 sq metre cap on the floor space of retail warehouses will continue to apply in all other areas.

The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Bill 2004 is expected to become law shortly. The Bill will consolidate and update the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work legislation. Duties Among the new duties imposed on employers will be an obligation to manage and conduct work activities so as to prevent improper conduct likely to put employees at risk. Existing duties are also expanded to specifically provide for the maintenance of proper welfare facilities, instruction, training and supervision of employees. There is now a specific duty on employees that, while at work, they must not be under the influence of an intoxicant so as to endanger their own or the safety, health and welfare of others. Safety Statements and Codes of Practice Safety statements will have to be reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that they continue to adequately reflect the hazards and risks in the workplace. The Bill provides some relief for smaller organisations. The Health and Safety Authority will provide special codes of practice for specific industries, and an organisation with three or less employees will now meet the safety statement requirement by adhering to the code relevant to their industry