The Statute of Limitations, 1957 and the Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Act, 1991 imposes a limit on the right of action so that after a prescribed period any action will be time barred. A list of cause of actions effected are listed under part two of the Statute of Limitations 1957.

The statute of limitations

Statute of limitations

A statute of limitations is an enactment in a common law legal system that sets the maximum time after an event that legal proceedings based on that event may be initiated...

 in the Republic of Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

 depends on the type of legal case and also who is taking the case (the rules are sometimes different for children). The time period usually starts from the date of knowledge of the potential cause of action.

Limitation periods

• Summary offence
  Summary offence
  A summary offence is a criminal act in some common law jurisdictions that can be proceeded with summarily, without the right to a jury trial and/or indictment .- United States :...
  
  s: 6 months
• Indictable offence
  Indictable offence
  In many common law jurisdictions , an indictable offence is an offence which can only be tried on an indictment after a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is a prima facie case to answer or by a grand jury...
  
  s: no limit , judges have discretion regarding excessively long delays
• Assault
  Assault
  In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
  
  : 6 years
• Actions for the recovery of Land: 12 years
• Defamation: 1 year (may be extended by the Courts to 2 years)
• Personal injury
  Personal injury
  Personal injury is a legal term for an injury to the body, mind or emotions, as opposed to an injury to property. The term is most commonly used to refer to a type of tort lawsuit alleging that the plaintiff's injury has been caused by the negligence of another, but also arises in defamation...
  
   resulting from negligence, nuisance, or breach of duty: 2 years for adults and 2 years from 18th birthday for infants
• Breach of contract
  Breach of contract
  Breach of contract is a legal cause of action in which a binding agreement or bargained-for exchange is not honored by one or more of the parties to the contract by non-performance or interference with the other party's performance....
  
  : 6 years
• Maritime: 2 years

There are several special cases, such as tax evasion

Tax evasion

Tax evasion is the general term for efforts by individuals, corporations, trusts and other entities to evade taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion usually entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting or concealing the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability,...

 (10 years) and the use of an unlicensed television

Television

Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...

set (one year).