Public Inquiries

Carson McDowell has substantial experience in providing specialist advice, assistance, and representation at public inquiries, across a wide range of sectors.

Our Healthcare team has significant experience in representing clinicians in Public Inquiries having acted for a number of clients at the Vale of Leven C. Difficile Inquiry, the Human Organs Inquiry, the Cabin Hill Inquiry, the Dental School Inquiry, the Neurology Inquiry, and the Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry.

The Healthcare team also represented a significant number of clinicians during the Inquiry into Hyponatraemia Related Deaths (IHRD), which was a high-profile, long-running Inquiry in Northern Ireland. The recommendations of the IHRD have had, and continue to have, a considerable impact on healthcare practice in Northern Ireland. The team has assisted a number of clinicians in relation to subsequent General Medical Council investigations.

Our Healthcare and Employment teams represented a number of charitable institutions as part of the Historical Abuse Inquiry, which ran between 2014 and 2016, with the Report being issued in 2017. We acted on behalf of a Charity, and a religious Order, who were core participants in the Inquiry.

A Redress Scheme was set up pursuant to one of Sir Anthony Hart’s Inquiry Report recommendations, and we continue to advise clients in connection with the ongoing assessment of payments for Historical Abuse Victims. The Redress Scheme is long-running, and it is anticipated that it will continue for a further number of years.

Our Planning and Environmental team have significant experience in major public inquiries and have represented clients at various road scheme public inquiries including the Inquiry into the upgrade of the Westlink, the Inquiry into the proposed A5 Western Transport Corridor, the Inquiry into the proposed upgrade of the Knock Dual Carriageway, the A2 Road Public Inquiry and the A5 Road Public Inquiry.

The Planning and Environmental team has represented retailers, including Tesco, at multiple public inquiries for proposals for major superstores across Northern Ireland, and represented House of Fraser, Corbo Properties Limited, and Leaside Developments Limited at the major public inquiry into the proposed development of a John Lewis store at Sprucefield. The team was also involved in the Newtownards Retail Planning Public Inquiry, and the Crescent Link Retail Inquiry.

The Planning and Environmental team was involved in the extensive NIE/Dalradian Gold Mine Inquiry, and various Local Development Plans and Public Inquiries, including; Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan Inquiry, Ards and North Down Area Plan Inquiry, Northern Area Plan Inquiry, Magherafelt Area Plan Inquiry, Banbridge Newry And Mourne Area Plan Inquiry, Lisburn and Castlereagh Local Development Plan Inquiry, Antrim and Newtownabbey Local Development Plan Inquiry; and Belfast Local Development Plan Inquiry.

In addition, the team has represented clients at the Public Inquiry into the North/South Electricity Interconnector, GBBCA ‘Seats for Sale’/Noise Inquiry, Lough Neagh Sand Extraction Planning Inquiry, proposals to redevelop the Port of Warrenpoint, represented Belfast International Airport at the Public Inquiry into the application by Belfast City Airport to revise the planning agreement regulating noise at Belfast City Airport, and advised TCI Renewables on the planning Inquiry into its proposed wind farm in Coleraine.

At Carson McDowell, we draw upon the experience of our Media team, to provide reputational advice to clients affected by press coverage (national and local) in relation to high-profile matters.