The professional standard of care in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom

This article discusses the rules applied by the courts in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom in determining whether the defendant in a negligence action attained the required standard of care in performing a professional task. It will discuss the effect of the defendant’s adherence to a practice widely accepted in the relevant profession at the time, and the effect of expert witnesses testifying that they regard the defendant’s conduct as proper. This article also discusses the different rules applying to the provision of certain information by a professional.