Senior HSE Executive secures injunction preventing her transfer

A senior HSE executive has secured a High Court injunction preventing her transfer to an alternative role. Mr Justice Isabel Kennedy granted the orders sought by Ms Helen Earley, Area Director of Nursing with the Galway/Roscommon Mental Health Service, allowing her to remain in her current position pending the full hearing of her action. Ms Earley contended that the proposed reassignment, communicated in early July, would damage her professional reputation. She alleged the HSE lacked contractual authority to transfer her and claimed the move was motivated by industrial relations disputes rather than legitimate operational grounds. The HSE sought to reassign her temporarily pending enquiries into mental health services under her remit. Mr Justice Kennedy found Ms Earley had established a strong case likely to succeed and that damages would not constitute adequate remedy given the potential loss of professional status. The balance of convenience favoured granting the injunctions. The matter returns to court in November.