LW2006 Law of Evidence I – Whether or not the appellant was, in the circumstances of this case, entitled to consult with a solicitor, and have a solicitor present

This written assignment requires you to write a case note on the following case:

• DPP v Barry Doyle [2017] IESC 1

Focus on the ‘presence of a solicitor’ issue addressed by the Supreme Court, i.e.:

“(i) Whether or not the appellant was, in the circumstances of this case, entitled to consult with a solicitor, and have a solicitor present, prior to and during the 15 th interview with the Garda Síochána, during which admissions were alleged to have been made. This raises the question of whether the right to have a solicitor present during questioning is a matter of right of the detained person, or a matter of concession by the Garda Síochána.”