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Monday 9:30am - 5:30pm Tuesday 9:30am - 5:30pm Wednesday 9:30am - 5:30pm Thursday 9:30am - 5:30pm Friday 9:30am - 5:30pm

Mercy Law Resource Centre

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Mercy Law Resource Centre

Free legal advice on homelessness, social housing and related social welfare law.

26/06/2025

⚖️ The MRLC Team and previous staff members, together with the MLRC Board, members of the Wisdom Centre Sophia Team, family and friends gathers to celebrate Nuala Monaghan. 🎉

🫂 After a remarkable tenure with Mercy Law Resource Centre, we say farewell to an incredible colleague and friend. Nuala's compassion and integrity has been invaluable over the years for MLRC. Her deep commitment to supporting the most vulnerable in our society has left a lasting legacy, not only in the clients she served, but also with everyone she's worked alongside. Wishing Nuala every success and happiness in her next chapter.

Special thanks to Gillian and her team from Sophia for managing the event

23/06/2025

🎓 Social Welfare Law Training Returns This November!

We’re delighted to announce the return of our highly regarded Social Welfare Law Training Series, delivered by Professor Gerry Whyte, Associate Professor at the School of Law, Trinity College Dublin.

🗓 Starting November, Mercy Law Resource Centre will host a six-part online training series providing a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of social welfare law in Ireland. This course is ideal for anyone working in advocacy, legal services, or frontline support roles who regularly assist clients with social welfare issues. Sessions will take place on Monday and Wednesday mornings from 10am to 12 noon starting 03 November.

📚 Topics include:

Sources of social welfare law
Claims and appeals
Social insurance and assistance
Rates of payment
Supplementary Welfare Allowance
Unemployment, illness, and caring supports
Family payments
Supports for older people and survivors
👥 Who is it for?
Staff from organisations such as Crosscare, Focus Ireland, Ruhama, IHREC, and the HSE have benefited from the course in previous years. Past participants consistently rated the sessions as practical, insightful, and transformative for their day-to-day work.

💬 Previous feedback:

“Excellent content and presentation – incredibly useful for my work.”
“Gerry was fantastic, and the group discussions added real value.”
“The materials provided were clear, structured and will be a great resource going forward.”

📩 Register your interest today by emailing: [email protected]
Places fill quickly, so early registration is encouraged.

🙏 A heartfelt thank you to Professor Gerry Whyte for his generosity in sharing his deep expertise in this complex and important area of law.

LawSoc Trinity College Dublin

19/06/2025

👉 Read the full newsletter here: 🌿 Early Summer at MLRC – A Season of Change and Impact 🌿

It’s been a busy and energising few months since I stepped into the role of Managing Solicitor at Mercy Law Resource Centre this April — and I’m excited to share our summer newsletter with you!
Inside, you’ll find:
✨ Legal updates and trends from our casework
✨ A powerful client story highlighting the impact of legal intervention
✨ Details of our upcoming Housing Law training
✨ Reflections from a recent conference where MLRC’s Kate Heffernan spoke on our behalf
✨ Intern updates and team news – including a fond farewell and a warm welcome!
We’re also proud to celebrate the ongoing support of our incredible pro bono partners – A&L Goodbody, Arthur Cox, Mason Hayes & Curran, and Taylor Wessing – whose collaboration makes a real difference.
👉 Read the full newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/1483ed74f9e0/mercy-law-summer-newsletter-2025
Thank you for following our work and for being part of this community committed to using the law to protect the rights of those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Thank you for following our work and for being part of this community committed to using the law to protect the rights of those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
https://mailchi.mp/1483ed74f9e0/mercy-law-summer-newsletter-2025

18/06/2025

⚖️ Today Mercy Law Resource Centre solicitor Adam Boyle joined with colleagues from the Irish Homeless Policy Group to brief members of the Oireachtas on the need to create a robust, independent appeals mechanism for decisions related to social housing and homelessness.

Such a mechanism was recommended by the previous Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

🏛️ Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas heard from Matthew Redmond of Crosscare, Ber Grogan of the Simon Communities of Ireland , and Tara Heffernan of Focus Ireland. The briefing sought to centre the struggles that many of our clients and service users face due to the lack of any appeal structure. The quality of decisions made in this area vary widely across the 31 local authority areas in the State, with no centralised body ensuring consistency and access to justice.

You can read more about why we feel an appeal structure is needed here: 🔽
https://lnkd.in/ehvZmS6m

10/06/2025

Mercy Law Resource Centre (MLRC) is proud to be based in the vibrant heart of Dublin 8 on Cork Street, a community rich in history and character. At its centre stands one of the city’s most iconic landmarks, St Patrick’s Cathedral, which has been a part of Dublin’s landscape since 1191.

⛪ Recently, Managing Solicitor Freda Grealy had the privilege of attending an event at St Patrick's Cathedral, where she received a generous donation of €4,000 from the Cathedral's Charitable and Community Fund. We extend our sincere gratitude to The Very Revd Dr. William Morton Dean and Ordinary, and Community Officer Kelley Birmingham for warmly welcoming us and for hosting a gathering that celebrated the invaluable work of numerous community organisations and NGOs who were also awarded funding.

⚖️ This contribution will enable MLRC to develop a ‘Know Your Rights’ booklet focused on social housing and homeless law—an essential resource to empower individuals navigating these challenges.

🏛️ At MLRC, we firmly believe that access to clear, reliable legal information is crucial in supporting those who are vulnerable and at risk of homelessness. This funding will help us continue our mission to provide practical, accessible legal resources to those who need them most.

Read more here 🔻
https://lnkd.in/ggV8iGds

09/06/2025

⚖️ As we celebrate the beginning of Pro bono week here at Mercy Law, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all our partners, Mason Hayes & Curran LLP , A&L Goodbody LLP, Arthur Cox LLP and Taylor Wessing for your time and expertise supporting us. Your help has been invaluable in advancing our mission to protect the rights of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. 🏠⚖️

🔸 Mason Hayes & Curran
Thank you Robert Dickson, Catherine Coleman, Fiona McNulty and your dedicated team 🙏
Your continued support through the weekly phone advice clinic provides direct legal guidance to clients who might otherwise have no access to support. 📞📘
🔸 A&L Goodbody, in partnership with Focus Ireland
👏 Thank you Eithne Lynch, Jack Gibson and your wonderful pro bono team.
Your longstanding commitment to the drop-in clinic has enabled us to guide frontline workers and deliver relevant legal information at the point of need.
🔸 Arthur Cox
We are deeply grateful to Carolann Minnock and the pro bono assistance of solicitors 🙌
Your invaluable help on referrals, as well as the incredible impact of your secondee and paralegal placements, have been essential.
A special shoutout to Aliya Jordan, our most recent secondee 🌟
Your team’s hands-on involvement continues to strengthen our legal service capacity and responsiveness. 🚀
🔸 Taylor Wessing
🤝 We are delighted to acknowledge your support!
Thanks to Jess Thomas, Shannon Buckley Barnes and your team for stepping in and joining our growing network of pro bono partners committed to housing justice. 🏘️💼

04/06/2025

👏 MLRC Solicitor Adam Boyle and Mary Heavey of Community Law Mediation recently sat down with Dublin Inquirer journalist Laoise Neylon to highlight the urgent need to withdraw the use of the ‘local connection’ protocol.

Issued by the City and County Manager's Association (CCMA) in 2023, this protocol asserts a person can only get homeless accommodation in the county where they have their main ‘local connection’ but this assertion lacks any basis in law. MLRC suggests that the Protocol must be withdrawn as it's an unlawful hurdle blocking access to homeless services, and makes accessing emergency accommodation much harder, forcing people into precarious and unsafe situations.

Read more on what Adam Boyle had to say here 🔽
https://lnkd.in/gxvHnJTE

29/05/2025

This client profile highlights the challenges faced by one young mother navigating the threat of homelessness and how access to legal support helped her and her daughter toward stability.

At Mercy Law, we work alongside individuals experiencing homelessness to ensure their rights are upheld. Unfortunately, she is one of many who we deal with on a weekly basis.

➡️ Swipe through to learn more about this client's story or click this link to read the full story https://lnkd.in/gSEnYvka

26/05/2025

Following our recent Fundamentals of Housing Law training, led by MLRC Solicitor Erika Hayes, we were delighted to receive this thoughtful feedback from Dr. Sally Anne Corcoran, Advocacy and Engagement Manager at COPE Galway.

"Thank you for the excellent and comprehensive presentation on housing law. I found it really clear and informative, and the practical examples were especially helpful. It was one of the most useful sessions I’ve attended."

👉 If you or your organisation are interested 📩 Register by emailing: [email protected]

🔍 What you'll learn:
Our training offers a solid legal grounding for anyone working at the frontline of housing and homelessness:
📌 Background legal principles – Key tools, how to get information, and where to refer
📌 Fair procedures – Human rights law and procedural fairness
📌 Access to social housing – Legal framework and common challenges
📌 Emergency accommodation – Understanding your legal rights
📌 HAP & Homeless HAP – Brief overview of the legal framework

👥 Who should attend?
Frontline workers in housing and homelessness
Legal advisors, NGO staff, and policy professionals
Community advocates and support workers
🗓️ 8 July | ⏰ 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM
📍 Online (via Teams)
💶 €95 per person
🎓 Includes 2.5 CPD points + certificate

Join the hundreds of professionals who’ve already deepened their legal knowledge with us and are using it to make a real impact.

22/05/2025

Mercy Law were delighted to welcome over 50 attendees to yesterday’s online training session, in collaboration with our pro bono partners &L Goodbody LLP. Hats off to our own Kate Heffernan and to Eithne Lynch and Jack Gibson at A&L for delivering and engaging and interesting learning event.

This first session in this two part training series explored the fundamentals of social housing and homelessness law. Using real case studies as a learning tool, the panel guided participants through the legal and practical journey of individuals facing homelessness, highlighting key legal challenges in the way and some of the positive outcomes.

A huge thank you to all who joined us, and to A&L Goodbody for their continued support.

13/05/2025

📍 At a recent event, At The Margins, Three Priority Areas Through a Human Rights Lens hosted by the Bar of Ireland, Mercy Law Resource Centre's Solicitor, Kate Heffernan, spoke about the significant barriers victim-survivors of domestic violence continue to face in accessing safe accommodation. Chaired by Hon. Ms. Justice Sara Phelan, Kate Heffernan, Tara O'Leary and Hilary Hogan spoke on a panel about Housing and Homelessness in Focus: Rights, Challenges and Solutions.

➡️ Despite Ireland’s ratification of the Istanbul Convention, issues with coordination between State actors persist, particularly at the point when a victim-survivor is ready to move on from refuge, yet faces homelessness.

⭐ Key issues highlighted by Kate include:

🔸 Victims being denied emergency accommodation or homeless assessments by local authorities, even when they cannot return home due to fear of violence.
🔸 Local authorities citing a lack of responsibility for providing supports to victims of domestic violence — despite Department of Housing guidance to the contrary.
🔸 The misapplication of “local connection” criteria, not supported by the Housing Act 1988.
🔸 The absence of a clear legal mechanism to remove a perpetrator’s name from a joint social housing tenancy.
🔸 Government circulars and local policies that explicitly exclude domestic violence from local authority action under anti-social behaviour legislation.

These issues illustrate the need for a more integrated and consistent State response.

Thanks to The Bar of Ireland for hosting a great day which also comprised two further panel sessions 🔻

🔸 Deprivation of Liberty | Developments in the law on imprisonment and involuntary admission to hospital

🔸 Violence against Women | Contemporary issues in tackling gender-based violence

Also pictured MLRC Solicitor Team Freda Grealy Kate Heffernan Adam Boyle Erika Hayes

Special Thanks to
Seán Beatty Andrew McKeown BL Emma Slattery Cormac O Culáin

Dublin R**e Crisis Centre Women's Aid Ireland Mary Rogan Caroline Fennell Cuan ,DSGBV Agency , Cornerstone Barristers Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC Doughty Street Chambers Rachel Morrogh Anne Marie James Ciaran Craven Saoirse Brady Irish Penal Reform Trust Irish Legal News Sarah Benson Jane McGowan Department of Justice Ireland Houses of the Oireachtas Law Society of Ireland Sunniva McDonagh SC Sharon Dillon-Lyons

12/05/2025

We are delighted to provide an additional date for our popular training on the Fundamentals of Housing Law!
This session will cover key topics, including:
· Background legal principles
· Fair procedures
· Access to social housing
· Emergency homeless accommodation
· HAP & Homeless HAP
Online via Teams | 8th of July
Earn 2.5 CPD points.
Led by Erika Hayes, Solicitor MLRC.
Book your place today by emailing [email protected].

Address

25 Cork Street
Dublin
DUBLIN8

Opening Hours

Monday	9:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday	9:30am - 5:30pm
Wednesday	9:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday	9:30am - 5:30pm
Friday	9:30am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+35314537459

Website

http://www.mercylaw.ie/

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