Hike in personal injury awards called off and why technology needs the human touch

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Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan has bowed to pressure on a plan by the Judicial Council to hike personal injury award guidelines by almost 17 per cent, confirming that he will not ask the Oireachtas to rubber stamp the judiciary’s proposed tweak to payouts.  Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos
Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan has bowed to pressure on a plan by the Judicial Council to hike personal injury award guidelines by almost 17 per cent, confirming that he will not ask the Oireachtas to rubber stamp the judiciary’s proposed tweak to payouts. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos

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Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan has bowed to pressure on a plan by the Judicial Council to hike personal injury award guidelines by almost 17 per cent, confirming that he will not ask the Oireachtas to rubber stamp the judiciary’s proposed tweak to payouts. However, as Joe Brennan reports, the Minister warned that the decision opens up the risk that judges could start making increased awards outside of the guidelines while the Personal Injuries Resolution Board remains bound by the current guidelines.

Irish customers of Betfair and Paddy Power have been notified in recent days of a data breach at the Flutter-owned brands, which has impacted as many as 800,000 users in Ireland and Britain. Hugh Dooley has the details.

Planners could rule shortly on night flights at Dublin Airport, ending almost a year of speculation over a crunch issue for airlines there. As Barry O’Halloran reports, State planning board, An Coimisiún Pleanála, last September issued a draft ruling limiting night-time flights to 13,000 a-year, fewer than 36 a-night.

This year’s Wimbledon may have been notable for the fact that it has replaced line judges with computer technology, but as Ciara O’Brien writes, sometimes more tech isn’t the answer to all our problems.

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Cantillon analyses unions’ CIE pension warning, while also assessing the changing fiscal stance taken by the German goverment. It also looks at that the National Competitiveness Council is really worried about.

In Innovators to Watch, Olive Keogh meets an Irish tech firm aiming to cut last minute chemotherapy cancellations by as much as 25 per cent.

Technology explores the terrifying world of artificial intelligence’s growing role in elections globally.

Ageing working populations will dampen productivity growth in the world’s biggest economies as fertility rates have “plummeted” in recent generations, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has warned. Hugh Dooley has the story.

The Government will change the law to enhance the enforcement powers of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in dealing with supermarket retailers, the Dáil has heard. Marie O’Halloran reports.

Drone delivery company Manna expects to have regulatory approval for new technology that would cut noise pollution from its aircraft by 40 per cent within months. As Colin Gleeson reports, the company has drawn criticism from members of the Oireachtas and the public alike due to noise complaints after it set up a facility near Blanchardstown Centre last year, where its base is surrounded by popular fast-food chains and cafes.

Irish mortgage interest rates dropped to their lowest levels in two years in May, the Central Bank of Ireland said on Wednesday, but remained higher than the euro zone average. Ian Curran has the story.

DCC, the Irish conglomerate seeking to narrow its focus to energy, may end up securing just £633 million (€733.4 million) for its technology division, according to Goodbody Stockbrokers. Joe has the story.

Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has granted planning for a seven storey, 71 unit, apartment development in Sandyford despite concerns expressed by a local parish priest, local residents and businesses over the scheme. Gordon Deegan has read the decision.

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