2005 news archive

For details on courses, and how to sign up for them, see here.

The government has published a consultation paper on granting the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission a right of access to places of detention and the power to compel evidence and witnesses in conducting its investigations. To reply to the consultation, visit:

www.nio.gov.uk/index/public-consultation/documents

5 December 2005

This exhibition of photographs by David Levene, hosted by Law Centre (NI) and Refugee Action Group, is on display at Belfast City Hall until 9 December 05.

n Law Centre submissions on Immigration control

n Law Centre response on making migration work

The Law Centre's well-received immigration advice booklet, with immigration information in 16 languages, is now available online here (PDF only).

The Law Centre AGM this year will be held on Thursday 15 December from 10.15 am to 1.00 pm at NICVA, 61 Duncairn Gardens, Belfast. The theme this year is:

Access to government information: Freedom of Information Act - one year on

The speakers will be Maurice Frankel - Director of the Campaign for Freedom of Information and Marie Anderson - Assistant Information Commissioner for Northern Ireland.

Anyone interested in attending should contact Hilary Dillon at the Law Centre by 8 December 2005.

There is good news for migrant workers and students who have had children born in Northern Ireland prior to 31 January 2005.  The Home Office has recently confirmed that a non-EEA national parent, who is lawfully in the UK and has an Irish child (or other EEA national children), is entitled to Child Benefit, despite being subject to immigration control (i.e. having a ‘no recourse to public funds’ stamp in her/his passport). The person would also be entitled to claim Child Benefit for any other children as well.  The Home Office has confirmed that in these circumstances claiming and receiving Child Benefit will not affect any application for further or indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

n    Recovery of Overpayments (9 November in Belfast)

n Tax Credit Overpayments (27 October 2005 in Belfast)

22 September 2005

Tribunals: a Time for Change is the theme of a conference held today at Belfast's Hilton Hotel.

The Leggatt report, Tribunals for Users: one system, one service was published in 2001.  A series of major reforms have now been introduced in Great Britain.  The conference asks what are the lessons for Northern Ireland and what changes are needed here.

The conference was organised by the Office of the President of Appeals Tribunals and sponsored by the Office of the President of Appeal Tribunals Northern Ireland, the Department for Constitutional Affairs and Law Centre (NI).

19 September 2005

Law Centre AGM

The Law Centre's Annual General Meeting will take place on:

Thursday 15 December 2005

The theme will be Freedom of Information and the speakers will be Maurice Frankel, Campaign for Freedom of Information and Mary Anderson, Assistant Information Commissioner for Northern Ireland.

The AGM will be held at NICVA, 61 Duncairn Gardens, Belfast.

Invitations will be sent out in November.

14 September 2005

New migrant worker support briefing

Animate, a support organisation for migrant workers based in the Cookstown, Craigavon and Dungannon area, has produced a useful information briefing on eligibility for free health and social services treatment for non UK-nationals. The paper, prepared in consultation with health and social services, can be read as a PDF document here.

For further information on Animate, visit: www.animate-ccd.net

7 September 2005

Frontline 57 available

Issue 57 of the Law Centre's quarterly magazine is now out. The main features can be accessed online here.

5 September 2005

New Law Centre publications

The Law Centre has two new publications available to members and now also online:

n Casework Bulletin 2005 Number 1 (Text version) (PDF)

n Community Care Legal Advice Service Annual Report

       2005 - 2005 (PDF)

31 August 2005

Update to Immigration & Marriage briefing

The Department of Justice has stated that the latest date for making a post-nuptial declaration of Irish citizenship is 29th November 2005. After that date Irish citizenship can only be obtained via an application for naturalisation.

26 July 2005

Training course announced

The Law Centre's Welfare Rights Adviser Programme training courses will run in Derry this autumn.

n WRAP Derry ( Wed: 21 September to 23 November 2005)

26 June 2005

New Community Care Briefings online

Two new Law Centre Community Care Information Briefings are now available: Confidentiality and information sharing with carers and Housing Benefit entitlement on entering residential care. Both are available on the Publications page. Changes to benefits on admission to hospital will be online soon. 

21 June 2005

New Information Briefing available

Immigration & Marriage / Cohabitation has been revised and updated. It is available here in text form. For paper copies contact the Publications Department at Law Centre (NI).

1 June 2005

Law Centre (NI) Business Plan published

Law Centre (NI) Business Plan for 2005-2006 is now available. A text version can be accessed here.

31 May 2005

Lecture & reception announced

Law Centre (NI) and SLS Legal Publications will host a lecture and reception at Queen's University on 17 June 2005. The speaker will be the Right Honourable Baroness Hale of Richmond. More details can be found here.

18 May 2005

Casework volunteer vacancies for summer 2005

The Law Centre is seeking to recruit two summer volunteers for its Belfast office. Details here.

17 May 2005

Law Centre (NI) Development Plan 2005-2008

Read PDF here.  Read text version here.

11 May 2005

New Training Programme online

The Law Centre's 2005-2006 Training Programme is available as a PDF here or in text version here.

11 May 2005

Public appointments

The Northern Ireland Social Security Agency and the Northern Ireland Child Support Agency wish to appoint new members to their Joint Standards Assurance Committee.  Read the job advert  here (text version) or here (PDF).  Deadline for applications is 3 June.  Application forms: contact Bernie McVeigh, DSD Standards Assurance Unit, James House, 2-4 Cromac Avenue, Gasworks Business Park, Ormeau Road, Belfast BT7 2JA.  Telephone (028) 9081 9692.

11 May 2005

Asylum - facts not myths

How many asylum seekers are there in Northern Ireland? What is the difference between an asylum seeker and a refugee? Why do people come here? Where do they come from?

To provide the answers to these and many more questions, the Refugee Action Group has just produced the 2nd edition of Forced to Flee: frequently asked questions about refugees and asylum seekers in Northern Ireland. The new information guide on refugee issues aims to deliver the facts - not the myths - about asylum in Northern Ireland, so fostering a more welcoming climate here for refugees. Copies are available from Amnesty International, Centre for Global Education and Multi-Cultural Resource Centre.  A PDF version of the document is available here.

4 May 2005

Case Acceptance Policy

Law Centre (NI) Case Acceptance Policy 2005-2006 available here (text version) or here (PDF).

31 March 2005

Launch of immigration advice leaflet & poster

The Law Centre is launching a new leaflet and poster signposting immigration advice in Northern Ireland. More details can be found here. The official press release for the booklet launch can be found here.

23 March 2005

New Benefit & Tax Credit rates

The benefit and tax credits rates from April 11 2005 are available as a PDF download here.

7 February 2005

New issue of Frontline available

Frontline 55 has just been published and is available from Law Centre (NI) Publications Department. Some of the features in this issue are available here.

19 January 2005

Immigration

Important changes to right to marry

According to a press release issued by the Home Office on 14 December 2004, after 1 February 2005 anyone under immigration control will have to give notice of intention to marry at a specially designated registrar office which s/he must attend with her/his partner. S/he will also have to meet strict new eligibility criteria before the notice to marry is accepted.  According to the press release, the criteria may include:

n entry clearance granted expressly for the purpose of marriage in the UK;  or

n written permission from the Secretary of State to marry in the UK in the form of a certificate of approval from the Home Office’s Immigration and Nationality Department; or

n s/he falls within a class of persons specified by the Secretary of State.

It is questionable whether the Home Office could impose criteria that are contrary to EU law with respect to free movement. These new measures may therefore be open to legal challenge.

The Assistant Registrar General wrote to the Law Centre’s immigration unit on 8 December 2004, stating that specially designated registrar offices had not yet been designated and that the Law Centre would be informed of the new arrangement once they were available.

It has since been clarified that a notice of intention to marry can be lodged with any registrar office in Northern Ireland.

17 January 2005

Human Rights Day events: 10 December 2004

To mark International Human Rights Day, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission held an event at Belfast City Hall, with representatives from local human rights, community, public and private sector organisations. Chief commissioner Brice Dickson, Equality Commission’s Joan Harbinson, Children’s Commissioner Nigel Williams, Belfast Islamic Centre’s Jamal Iweida and murdered solicitor Pat Finucane’s widow Geraldine spoke on aspects of human rights relevant to Northern Ireland today.

On the same day, Women into Politics held a conference at Grosvenor House entitled Women’s Rights are Human Rights – women’s participation and leadership in global processes. The conference, which gathered together speakers from Zimbabwe to Afghanistan as well as local representatives, was the culmination of a series of workshops on women’s rights as human rights.

On the eve of human rights day, Amnesty International invited prominent campaigner against torture Helen Bamber to give a lecture on War, Women and Torture, at Queen’s University.