Courts / Ireland / Report

Boatman sues Minister over cut in Skellig Michael landing season

Summary

Sean Murphy, a boatman who has operated a vessel bringing visitors from the mainland to Skellig Michael for many years, has taken the Minister for Transport to the High Court after the Minister announced a decision to limit the landing season. The Minister's decision, communicated to Murphy on 30 March 2015, restricts licensed passenger boats to land only between 15 May and 30 September, citing health and safety reasons following a communication from the National Monuments Service, the owner of the island, its landing pier and access road. Murphy argues that the Minister has no authority to set the season's length, that the decision was made without consulting him, and that irrelevant considerations were used. In preliminary proceedings, Mr Justice Max Barrett granted Murphy discovery of relevant documents but declined to allow cross‑examination of an official who had sworn affidavits on behalf of the Minister, stating that the discovery order should suffice.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Boatman sues Minister over cut in Skellig Michael landing season. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• March 30th 2015 Other
• May 15th Other
• September 30th Other
• 2017-05-19 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

Read the original CNI report