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Irish legal guides

Plain-English explanations of common legal processes in Ireland, from wills and probate to divorce, conveyancing and claims. Each guide sets out the rules, the steps and the official sources.

Wills, capacity and estates

• How to make a will in Ireland

  How to make a valid will in Ireland: who can make one, signing and witness rules, what to include, the legal right share, and when a will is revoked.

• How long after a death is a will read in Ireland?

  Is there a formal reading of the will in Ireland? Who sees the will, when it becomes public, the executor's year, and how an estate is shared with no will.

• Enduring power of attorney in Ireland

  How an enduring power of attorney works in Ireland since April 2023: what it covers, who can be an attorney, registering with the Decision Support Service.

• How long does probate take in Ireland?

  How long probate takes in Ireland, stage by stage: the SA.2 Revenue form, applying for the grant, fees, the executor's year, and what slows an estate down.

Family law

• How to get a divorce in Ireland

  How to get a divorce in Ireland: the two-in-three-years rule, the forms, mediation, consent and contested cases, plus how judicial separation differs.

Property

• Conveyancing in Ireland: the steps to buying a house

  The conveyancing steps when buying a house in Ireland: booking deposit, contracts, survey, requisitions on title, closing, stamp duty and registering the deeds.

Disputes and claims

• The small claims procedure in Ireland

  How the small claims procedure works in Ireland: the €2,000 limit, which disputes qualify, how to apply online, what the respondent can do, and enforcement.

• Personal injury claims and the Injuries Resolution Board

  How personal injury claims work through the Injuries Resolution Board (formerly PIAB): time limits, fees, mediation, assessment, accepting an award, court.