Immigration and Citizenship Service from Shannons Solicitors

Citizenship Application

Citizenship is the other name of naturalisation. Naturalisation in Ireland is the process whereby a non-EU national may apply to become an Irish citizen. In order to apply for naturalisation in Ireland, the applicant must have been physically resident in Ireland for a certain length of time and have to fulfill other rules and conditions.

All applications for becoming a naturalised Irish citizen are decided by the Minister for Justice and Equality. The Minister is the final stage to decide whether or not to grant naturalisation. There are strict rules about applying for naturalisation as an Irish citizen.

Since 10 November 2011, a processing fee of € 175 is required along with the form for all applications for citizenship.

 Here it should be mentioned that without filling the application form properly or without enclosing all of the required documentations which has been specified, the form should not be submitted. Under the Section 17 of 1996 Act, if any required documents are missing or if the certificates are not the attested to be that of a true copy then the application form will be refused and the fee will not be refunded.

There are several types of documentations required for different circumstances. To submit the appropriate documents you have to make sure of your group first. Once you find your status then arrange the required documents for your situation.  

Shannons Solicitors, Swords, Co. Dublin are notarized solicitors that can assist you in filing for your Citizenship Application.   Contact us via our website www.shannons.ie or by telephoning us at 018401780 to arrange for an appointment.

Short stay visit visa for Family or Tourist

Citizens of particular countries have to apply for an entry visa before the person of that country can travel to Ireland.   If you require a visit/holiday visa and you do not have any kind of visa when you arrive in Ireland, you will not get the permission to enter the country. A visit/holiday visa is for a short-term stay and will generally not exceed a maximum of 90 days.
If you are a citizen of an EU/EEA member state, you will not require a visit/holiday visa to travel to Ireland. (The members of the EEA are the 27 countries of the European Union (EU), together with Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein).
All non-EEA nationals, including those with visas, must be granted permission to enter the State by reporting to an Immigration Officer at the port of entry (airport or ferry port).  The Immigration Officer will then decide the length of time you will be allowed to stay in Ireland but will never exceed a maximum of 90 days.
The visitor should have proper supporting documentation relating to the purpose of their visit on person when going through immigration. All supporting documents must be in English. If any document is in another language, then the visitor must provide a proven translation copy with the original document.
If any of the required documentation is missing, then the application may be refused.

Applying for a re-entry visa

Apply for your re-entry visa well in advance of your proposed dates of travel. Postal applications for re-entry visas will be processed within 4 days of receipt and your re-entry visa will be returned to you by registered post.
You can also apply in person for a re-entry visa within certain hours. You will need to complete the application form and provide all required documentation.

Shannons Solicitors, Swords, Co. Dublin are notarized solicitors that can assist you in applying for a visit visa for you or your family member.   Contact us via our website www.shannons.ie or by telephoning us at 018401780 to arrange for an appointment.

Application for long-term residency

Applications for Long Term Residency in Ireland are presently processed as an administrative scheme. Persons who have been legally resident in the State for minimum five years period (i.e. 60 months) on the basis of work permit/work authorisation/working visa conditions may apply to this office for a five year residency extension. 

Long Term Residency is permitted on the basis that a non EEA national has completed a minimum of five years or 60 months legal residence in the State on work permit conditions which is reflected in the corresponding Stamp 1 or Stamp 4 endorsements on a person's passport. Periods of time for which a person has not been legally resident in the state (i.e. does not have an up to date endorsement on their passport) cannot be counted towards an application for Long Term Residency. 

A successful applicant in these circumstances will be granted Permission to Remain on a Stamp 4 which will be valid for 5 years.

Applications from Spouses/Dependants

The spouse and/or dependant(s) of the applicant for Long Term Residency can also apply for Long Term Residency. In order to apply for Long Term Residency as a spouse/dependant, the applicant must be legally resident in the State as a spouse/dependant for the required five years or 60 month period of time.

Successful applications from those who apply as a spouse/dependant will be granted Permission to Remain on a Stamp 3 or stamp 4. 

Long stay visa for joining family

Long stay visas are issued for the purpose of employment, study, or joining a spouse, partner or parent.  

Non-EEA or Swiss family members/spouses of an Irish national or a work permit holder can apply for a long stay visa before arrival in Ireland.  In general, your family members may join you in Ireland if you can show that you can support them without recourse to public funds. In practice, this means that you have enough money to support them without qualifying for Family Income Supplement (FIS). This payment depends on your income and the number of dependants you have.

Shannons Solicitors, Swords, Co. Dublin are notarized solicitors that can assist you in applying for a long term visa for you or your family member.   Contact us via our website www.shannons.ie or by telephoning us at 018401780 to arrange for an appointment

US Drug Recall News - Baycol, Vioxx, Zyprexa, Serzona, Bexra

Bayer Yasmin Lawsuit Settlements Climb to $142 Million

Bayer AG (BAYN) said settlements of U.S. lawsuits claiming that its Yasmin line of birth-control pills caused blood clots in women have increased to $142 million.

Bayer, based in Leverkusen, Germany, has resolved 651 cases alleging its Yasmin and Yaz contraceptives caused sometimes- fatal clots that can lead to heart attacks and strokes, the company said today in its Stockholders' Newsletter for the first quarter. The company said it paid $142 million in the settlements, for an average of about $218,000 a case.

"This company wants to avoid the possibility of a large jury award in these clot cases," Carl Tobias, who teaches product-liability law at the University of Richmond in Virginia, said in a phone interview. "Settlements provide predictability when it comes to the cost of resolving these cases." Bayer's update comes less than two weeks after Richard Vosser, a JPMorgan Chase & Co. analyst, said the drugmaker may have to pay more than 2 billion euros ($2.65 billion) to resolve all the cases over the contraceptives. Bloomberg News reported April 13 that Bayer agreed to pay about $110 million to settle the first 500 U.S. suits over Yasmin, according to people familiar with the accords. On April 10th, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ordered Bayer and other contraceptive makers to strengthen blood-clot warnings on their products.

Triple Risk of Blood Clots

Pills like Bayer's Yasmin, which contain a synthetic hormone called drospirenone, will have warning labels saying researchers have found they may triple the risk for clots. The FDA examined data on more than 835,000 women who took pills containing drospirenone, including Bayer's Yasmin line, according to the FDA report. Yasmin was the No. 4 oral contraceptive in the U.S. in 2011, with 4.6 percent of the market as of September, according to data from IMS Health. Bayer's contraceptives generated $1.58 billion in sales in 2010, making them the drugmaker's biggest-selling drugs after Betaseron, a multiple sclerosis medication. "Bayer is only settling claims in the U.S. for venous clot injuries (deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism) after a case specific analysis of medical records," the company said in the report.

11,900 Yaz / Yasmin Lawsuits

Fewer than half of the cases brought over the contraceptives so far include those injuries, Bayer said. As of April 18th, Bayer faced 11,900 lawsuits over Yaz and Yasmin in the U.S. involving about 14,000 plaintiffs. Bayer officials said they weren't admitting wrongdoing in any of the settlements.

Yaz / Yasmin Gallbladder Cases

Michael Burg, one of the leaders of a group of plaintiffs' lawyers that is overseeing the progress of Yasmin cases consolidated before a federal judge in Illinois, said Bayer is pressing ahead with settlement talks about blood clot cases. The drug maker is rejecting women's claims that the contraceptives damaged their gallbladders or caused them to suffer from gallstones, Burg, who is based in Colorado, said in a telephone interview. "At this point, t they've said they don't anticipate settling any of the gallbladder cases," he said.

Lawyers suing the drug maker cited FDA reports of at least 50 deaths tied to the pills from 2004 to 2008. Plaintiffs' lawyers contend in court filings that Bayer officials marketed the contraceptives for unapproved uses and misled women about the drugs' risks.

Yaz / Yasmin Trials on Hold

The cases filed in federal courts were consolidated before U.S. District Judge David Herndon in East St. Louis, Illinois, for pretrial proceedings. Herndon scheduled a series of trials for early this year so juries could begin weighing claims that Bayer and its units marketed Yaz and other contraceptives as safer than rivals' products while knowing they posed a higher clot risk. At Bayer's suggestion, Herndon called in Stephen Saltzburg, a George Washington University law professor, to serve as a mediator. Saltzburg's job was to explore the possibility of "settlements in this litigation," Herndon said in a December order. The judge put the trial schedule on hold while Saltzburg met with lawyers for the drugmakers and former Yaz users. "I don't anticipate seeing any trials this year," Burg said today. The case is In re Yasmin and Yaz (Drospirenone) Marketing, Sales Practices and Product Liability Litigation, 09-md-02100, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois (East St. Louis).

Video Presentation: Sexual Abuse Compensation in Ireland

Video Presentation: Misselling by Banks

Video Presentation: Introduction to Shannons Solicitors

We have decided to launch a series of informative video presentation via Youtube in the coming weeks.  Here is an introduction to the services of Shannons Solicitors:

Richieste passaporto e tutori esclusivi

Da Shannons Solicitors a Swords assistiamo chi richiede passaporti nel caso il genitore sia il tutore esclusivo del minore. Nella richiesta di passaporto è necessaria una Dichiarazione scritta giurata del Tutore Esclusivo.

Questa Dichiarazione deve essere redatta e firmata in presenza di un Legale o di un Commissario di Dichiarazioni sotto giuramento come il dott. Vincent Shannon.

Nel completare il modulo della Dichiarazione scritta giurata, quest’ultima deve essere accompagnata da regolare  formulario per il passaporto, APS1 o APS2, a seconda se il richiedente abiti nello Stato o all’estero. E’ inoltre essenziale,se applicabile,in forma estesa il certificato di nascita/adozione del bambino.

Nel caso il bambino fosse nato dopo il primo gennaio 2005 e il genitore non fosse un cittadino irlandese, verranno richiesti ulteriori documenti da concordare con il dott. Vincent Shannon di Shannons Solicitors.

Nel caso stessi richiedendo queste procedure di passaporto, contattaci al numero +35318401780 o via e-mail a vincent@shannons.ie  per ricevere consigli in tempi veloci o passando presso il nostro Studio situato al numero 29 di Main Street a Swords, Co Dublin.

Time Running Out for Hip Replacement Claims

The Statute of Limitations has a two year period within which a person must issue court proceedings for personal injury. If you have a De Puy hip replacement and want to bring a claim for damages for a defective product, you should contact Vincent Shannon of Shannons Solicitors Swords by e-mailing vincent@shannons.ie for advice on the deadlines imposed by the Statute of Limitations.

We all know that our joints and knees need to be replaced to keep pace with modern living. The most popular replacements are hip and knee. Zinumi and DePuy are two of the most popular replacements but there have been many defects reported in components manufacturing. Lots of litigation is currently before the courts in America and Europe because of fractures, pseudtumors, permanent muscle damage and other complications. Consumer confidence in these products has plummeted. They were supposed to have been long term replacement solutions but now the normal  amount of time is ten years.

Shannons Solicitors in Swords can help with your lawsuit against Zinumi or DePuy and their defective joint implants. Due to the complexity of the issue, we have set up a dedicated website to provide information about recalls at www.recalledhipeurope.eu We consult with our clients to inform them of the possibilities of settlements that they may be entitled to regarding their hip or knee implant.

Call Shannons Solicitors now at +353-1-8401780 or e-mail vincent@shannons.ie

Insurance Policy to Cover Job Loss

Did you take out an Insurance Policy to pay your mortgage in case you lost your job? Were you refused payment when you made a claim?

Last year in Britain more than £1billion sterling was paid out  by insurers in premium refunds to people who complained about being mis-sold payment protection insurance. AIB has already been forced to repay the premiums paid by an Irish customer. The Central Bank is now investigating after thousands of homeowners were denied payments on insurance policies taken out to pay their mortgages in the event of them losing their jobs.  

Vincent Shannon points out that this type of insurance is different to mortgage protection insurance which lenders demand that mortgage holders take out and only pay out if the home owner dies

He advises that mortgage repayment insurance covers mortgage payment for one year if the insured person loses their job due to redundancies, an accident or sickness.

Shannons Solicitors in Swords are now taking legal action on behalf of people who have bought polices where exclusion clauses were not clarified when the policy was sold.

If this applies to you contact Vincent Shannon of Shannons Solicitors in Swords immediately to join the action being taken to recover your payments made. Call Shannons on 01-8401780 or e-mail vincent@shannons.ie for a reply within 24 hours.

The Start-Up Entrepreneur Programme

Last week we touched on the first of the two programmes Alan Shatter has announced, which aim to bring more business to Ireland. This week, we're talking about the Start-Up Entrepreneur Programme.

This programme states that non EEA citizens with a good business idea and the funding of a certain amount can be given residency in the State. The minimum funding is now €75k which is welcome drop from the €300k it is presently.

It will be recognised that as some businesses take a while to find there feet so, initially there will be no job creation targets. 

Each project will be put forward for the start-up programme and for evaluation by a Committee with State Agencies. The Evaluation Committee will work on choosing and selecting start-ups believed to be great ideas and to have good potential for success.  

To qualify an applicant must:

• Have some form of financial backing of not less that €75,000 through business angels, venture capital providers or a financial institution regulated by the Financial Regulator. Personal funding transferred to the State or a grant from a relevant State agency would also be acceptable.
• The business proposal must have a strong innovation component.
• The applicant must not be a drain on public funds.

Minister, Alan Shatter, hopes to see the launch of these new schemes by March. By this time, information detailing the specific rules and qualifications will be published by officials in the Department of Justice.

Minister Alan Shatter Announces Two New Investment Programmes

The Minister for Justice, Equality & Defence, Mr. Alan Shatter, announced that he had secured the approval for the introduction of two new immigration initiatives. The initiatives are aimed at facilitating non EEA entrepreneurs and investors. 

These two initiatives will be named The Immigrant Investor Programme and The Start-up Entrepreneur Programme. In return for legally being allowed to reside in the State, non EEA entrepreneurs should be prepared to invest here, thus creating and saving more jobs.

Currently, the business permission scheme for non EEA investors, asks the applicant to have a minimum of €300,000 to invest in an Irish business project. It must create two or more full time jobs for EEA nationals in a new project, or maintain employment numbers in the already existing business. Although this scheme has been in place for a long time it is unsuitable for the purposes of attracting start-ups with great potential and secondly, it does not help in the discovery of potential investors that are present, internationally.

The Immigrant Investor Programme

The Immigrant Investor Programme allows the investor and their immediate family members to live in the State and stay here for a defined period, in most cases, up to five years, which will then be reviewed after the first two.

The range of investment options available to non EEA investor are as follows:

• A once off endowment of a minimum of €400,000 to a public project benefiting the arts, sports, health or education.
• A minimum €2,000,000 investment in a low interest immigrant investor bond. The investment is to be held for a minimum of five years. The details of the investment will be finalised with the National Treasury Management Agency in the coming weeks. The bond will be offered exclusively to participants in this scheme and will not be tradable on any market.
• A minimum €1,000,000 venture capital funding into an Irish business for a minimum of three years. An investment into an Irish publicly quoted company could be considered but the investment level would have to be much higher.
• A minimum €1,000,000 mixed investment in 50% property and 50% in Government securities. Special consideration could be given to those purchasing property, in the State, which have been enforced by NAMA. In such cases a single €1m investment in property might be sufficient. (N.B. the minimum investment threshold for mixed investments will be dependent on the type of investments proposed and will be determined on a pro rata basis)

Next week, we'll be touching on the Start-up Entrepreneur Programme so don't forget to keep up to date with our blog via Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

From all of us at Shannons Solicitors, we hope you have a nice weekend.

Swords District Court

Laura Shannon, partner at Shannons Solicitors Swords, attends every sitting at Swords District Court and offers assistance, advice and representation for a number of situations people may be faced with. Laura Shannon also attends Balbriggan, Blanchardstown and the Bridewell.

Laura, an expert in Family Law and other areas, deals with the following:

• Barring and protection orders.
• Maintenance Applications
• Guardianship
• Access to Children
• Garda and criminal prosecutions.
• Road traffic offences
• Drunk Driving
• Dangerous and Careless Driving
• Public Order Offences
• Assault and petty crime 

Laura Shannon can also attend at Garda Stations and Prisons, so don't hesitate to contact her on 01-8401780 if you need help and advice personally, or for someone you may know.

You can also e-mail Laura on laura@shannons.ie for a quick and confidential reply.

Facebook Support

As a family-run Solicitors firm in Swords, Co. Dublin, our aim is to keep you, the readers, up to date with new posts and information that may help with any legal query you may have or help you may need. We have recently started a Facebook page, so to like our page please click here. We really appreciate your support and hope we can help you in the future or have helped in the past.

Thank you,

Shannons Solicitors

Sexual Harassment and Abuse

Vincent and Tim are specialist lawyers in the area of sexual abuse and harassment, having dealt with a large amount of cases in recent years involving clerical sexual abuse; the fall out from the Murphy Report, Ryan Report, Ferns Report and most recently the Cloyne Report.

Tim and Vincent Shannon deal with these cases in a sensitive manner and only require you to furnish basic details to establish the nature of the case, and then when you are ready the complete instructions can be given in your own time.

Many of the cases Shannons bring are for psychological or physical injury that occurred many years ago; perhaps when you were a child events occurred which you put out of your mind until the recent reports or events brought the memories back. It is important that you do not delay once you decided to take action as a result of abuse that took place long ago. Once there has not been an inordinate or inexcusable delay then you will be able to proceed. These cases take some time to bring to court but this period of time will enable you to establish a bond of trust with Vincent or Tim Shannon who will be able to present your case having got to know you and the circumstances of the case.

For help and advice, please don't hesitate to contact Tim or Vincent Shannon by calling 01-8401780 or e-mailing vincent@shannons.ie 

Passport Applications and Sole Guardians

At  Shannons Solicitors in Swords we provide help for people who are applying for passports where the parent is the sole guardian of the minor. When making such a passport application, an Affidavit of Sole Guardian is required. This Affidavit must be completed and signed in the presence of a Solicitor or a Commissioner for Oaths like Vincent Shannon.

When filling out the Affidavit form, it should be accompanied by the regular passport application form, APS1 or APS2, depending in if the applicant lives in the State or abroad. The child’s long form birth/adoption certificate and previous passport, if applicable, is also essential.

If the child was born after 1st January 2005 and the parent is not an Irish citizen, other documents will be required and this can all be discussed with Vincent Shannon of Shannons Solicitors.

If you are making such a passport application, why not contact us on +35318401780 or email vincent@shannons.ie for advice and an immediate response. Or you can drop into us at 29 Main Street in Swords, Co Dublin.

Possible Long Term Damage Involving Breast Implants

Vincent Shannon Solicitor of Shannons in Swords has been consulted by many women, including several from Northern Ireland, who have received breast implants and are now extremely concerned about the potential long term damage to their health.

Compensation claims regarding breast implants by the French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) could be affecting up to 1500 women in Ireland this new year. A widespread recall is underway following the death of a woman in France who suffered from anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Sparking a large social media campaign from others who were experiencing strange illnesses, the French government has now advised that victims may need to get them removed.

Vincent Shannon is advising any woman to consult their GP immediately and to get in touch with their surgeon. An ultra sound or mammogram should then be carried out, checking whether there has been a rupture or not. If there has not yet been a rupture, there is still concern about future damage; removal is the safest option at this time.

Vincent Shannon said that the current concern is to have the proper Defendant in court proceedings.

"This is effectively a Sale of Goods legal argument and the clinics that provided the operation had an obligation to use products that are fit for the intended purpose and suitable for the Consumer to use."

Initially, people who supplied the silicone would be the potential target but ultimately it will be the clinic that carried out the operation. However, there is the possibility that The Irish Medicines Board could be targeted as well.

To seek sound and professional legal advice and representation with regards to these serious matters, never hesitate to contact Shannons Solicitors in Swords on 01-8401780 or e-mail vincent@shannons.ie

Vincent Shannon advises the women to, firstly, concentrate on the medical advice regarding the safe removal of the implant while simultaneously seeking legal advice about compensation for the losses incurred. 

Related Article: Concerns Rise Over Poly Implant Prothese Breast Implants

Enduring Power of Attorney

An Enduring Power of Attorney is an extremely useful document and is generally used for elderly people. It allows a family member or other nominated person (the attorney) to be given a power of attorney that can be registered if, and only if, the donor is becoming mentally incapable of managing their own affairs.

Two or more Attorneys can be appointed. If such a power is not created and the person becomes mentally incapable of managing their own affairs, then an application to Court must be made. This will appoint them a Ward of Court which can be a costly and lengthy procedure.

An Enduring Power of Attorney is drafted in our office and can be done  very quickly by Laura Shannon. The person seeking the power must have the capacity to understand the decision they are making. Whilst drafting the Power, we ensure that the person creating it fully understands the important decision that they are making. It is essential that a doctor certifies that the person creating the Power is capable of managing their own affairs.

An Enduring Power of Attorney can incorporate business/financial affairs and/or personal care decisions. Personal care decisions can incorporate any one or more of the following matters:

1. Where the donor should live;
2. With whom the donor should live;
3. Whom the donor should see and not see;
4. What training or rehabilitation the donor should get;
5. The donor’s diet and dress;
6. Inspection of the donor’s personal papers; and
7. Housing, social welfare and other benefits for the donor.

It is the donor’s decision as to what they will allow the attorney to decide on their behalf, if they become incapable of managing their own affairs. In our experience, this depends on the relationship between the parties.

Once the Power is drafted and signed, it is stored in our office for safe keeping. If the donor becomes mentally incapable of looking after their own affairs the Power is then registered in the High Court. Once this has been completed, the attorney will receive the Enduring Power of Attorney and this will allow them to make the specific decisions named in the Power on behalf of the donor.

On matters regarding the Power of Attorney, Laura Shannon is the person to contact at Shannons Solicitors on 01-8401780 or you can e-mail laura@shannons.ie.

From all of us at Shannons, have a nice weekend.

Separations and Divorce- Know the Tax Implications.

Many of us may know the old joke about the husband replying to his wife ' I wasn't thinking of spending that much', when she asks for a divorce for Christmas. There's a lot of truth in this, however, and it's important to seek the right advice.

This post is about the tax implications regarding divorce or the decision to separate. It is so important to take the advice of a tax professional when considering separation as the assessable person will lose their married person's allowance and married rate band for a full year after the separation. 

Nearly every separation or divorce involves maintenance and if paying a legally enforceable maintenance payment, you will be entitled to a tax deduction for these payments. The receiving spouse, however, will be taxed on the maintenance payments.  

You will not be entitled to a tax deduction for financial settlements further to a Separation or Divorce and the recipient will not be subject to tax on such payments. You will be entitled to the married tax credit on such payments but not the married tax band. These differences are important and could result in huge savings or losses and it is important to get advice.  

It is also valuable to know that providing both people are resident in the State, the separated individuals can choose to be treated as a married couple for income tax purposes. As well as that, maintenance payments are included in a legally enforceable Separation Agreement or Court Order.  

Submitting a joint election may solve signing documents into the future which, we know, many separated people do not want to do. In this event, maintenance payments are ignored for tax purposes which might be a considerable advantage and if a couple are on good terms, despite separation, this would be the way to go.  

Maintenance payments in any event, made for the benefit of children, are ignored for tax purposes. In relation to capital taxes, transfer of property is regarded as a no gain/no loss situation and liability will arise in the year of separation. Any capital losses may be transferred between the spouses in the year of separation. 

Tim Shannon has over 30 years experience with Family Law and is here to help you and give any advice about the situation you may be faced with regarding your separation or divorce.  

Based in Swords, Co. Dublin, you can call Shannons Solicitors on 01-8401780 or e-mail tim@shannons.ie for a quick and informative reply.

Concerns Rise Over Poly Implant Prothese Breast Implants

Compensation claims regarding breast implants by the French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) could be affecting up to 1.500 women in Ireland this new year. A widespread recall is underway following the death of a woman in France who suffered from anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Sparking a large social media campaign from others who were experiencing strange illnesses, the French government has now advised that victims may need to get them removed depending on results of an investigation which will be revealed at the end of this week.

Although a direct link to cancer and the implants is not yet proven, research is underway to see if the materials used in these implants have serious side effects. If it does, then surgery to remove the implants will be offered.

An initial recall took place in March 2010 when it was said that they had a much higher than normal rate of rupturing- a rate of 5% in France. The gel used in the implant was of a lower medicinal grade that had been passed by health and safety authorities. The cheaper substitute is said to be more commonly used in the making of mattresses and is more industrial than medicinal.  

With the potential to affect up to 1,500 women in Ireland who underwent the surgery for purely aesthetic reasons from January 2001 to March 2010, many people should be entitled to seek compensation to cover all costs, including removal, pain caused by the removal and emotional or physical trauma.

If you are unsure whether your implants are products of PIP, we're advising you to seek this information as soon as possible.

If you or someone you know is affected by the above information, get in touch with Vincent Shannon of Shannons Solicitors on 01-8401780 now and see how you can be compensated and given advice or e-mail vincent@shannons.ie for an immediate response.

Happy New Year- Notary Public Available in Swords, Co. Dublin

Hello and welcome back after what we're sure was a busy and eventful holiday season. Firstly, we would like to say Happy New Year to you all and best of luck for 2012. We're diving head first into the blog this month, compiling and presenting all the legal information you may need to ease any dealings you might be faced with this year. Just take a look at the tags to the right of this page to see if any of them apply to any concerns you could have.

As you may know, Vincent Shannon is a Notary Public and is available to sign documents at our offices at 29 Main Street, Swords, County Dublin, or by special arrangement at other locations.

A Notary Public is a public officer constituted by law to serve the public in non-contentious matters usually concerned with international business.

Empowered to administer oaths, a Notary Public can also attest signatures and authenticate documents. Vincent Shannon can also draft Affidavits for use in foreign countries and can prepare declarations and affirmations.Mercantile Law also features in the work of a Notary who can receive and make protests, and can issue notarial certificates in respect of documents.

A Notary also draws up Powers of Attorney and other legal documents for use in foreign countries.

If you need the help of a Notary Public then never hesitate to contact Vincent Shannon, who is happy to attend the offices of other solicitors to assist you. Just remember that each person who appears before a Notary must identify himself or herself with a Passport or Driving Licence and Shannons will help you with the rest.

Why not contact us on +353-1-840 1780 or email vincent@shannons.ie for an immediate response and advice.

Again, we'd like to take this opportunity to say Happy New Year and all the best for the coming year.