Courts / Kerry / Report

Councillor challenges Kerry Co Council over board appointments

Summary

Independent Councillor Charlie Farrelly has brought a High Court action against Kerry County Council and the North, East and West Kerry Development Partnership, challenging the method used to select two councillors for the Partnership's board. Represented by Elizabeth Murphy BL, Cllr Farrelly claims the Council's selection procedure was flawed and unlawful. He alleges that the Council should have used the Group Voting System to ensure minority representation, rather than individual voting, which he contends allowed a majority of councillors to appoint both members while rendering minority votes ineffective. Cllr Farrelly seeks declarations that the procedures were contrary to statute, void, and unlawful, along with an order quashing the November appointments and directing the Council to reselect members. Permission to bring the action was granted on an ex-parte basis by Mr Justice Charles Meenan, who also placed a stay on the Council's appointments. The judge noted he would entertain any application by the respondent to lift the stay once made on notice to Cllr Farrelly's lawyers. The matter was adjourned to a date in March.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Councillor challenges Kerry Co Council over board appointments. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• 2021-01-25 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

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Read the original CNI report