The High Court has allowed Paul Christopher Meehan’s damages claim against Ireland over alleged Garda harassment and oppressive behaviour to proceed, while striking out claims tied to 16 private entities and requests for injunctions concerning An Garda Síochána (AGS).
In a judgment delivered on 7 May 2024, Ms Justice Nuala Jackson partly granted the State’s application to strike out parts of the proceedings. She refused to dismiss the damages claim against Ireland concerning alleged harassment, stalking and other oppressive behaviour by AGS, finding it was not a claim that disclosed no cause of action or was frivolous or vexatious.
The judge also refused the State’s application to dismiss that remaining claim under the High Court’s inherent jurisdiction. She said the case was at an early stage and, despite significant weaknesses in the pleadings and little evidence then produced, there was a reasonable basis to believe evidence might become available at trial. She did not decide whether the alleged conduct occurred or whether Ireland is liable.
The proceedings, begun in May 2023, included claims concerning Trinity College Dublin, Independent News and Media, AGS and private businesses. Those entities were not parties to the case. Justice Jackson struck out parts of the summons and statement of claim relating to 16 private entities, for whose actions she said Ireland could have no responsibility on the pleadings before her. She also struck out requests for injunctions concerning AGS because the Garda Commissioner was not a party.
Meehan’s pleadings alleged a campaign of Garda harassment from 2006 to 2023, including surveillance, interference with employment opportunities and disclosure of information to third parties. He said many alleged incidents involved plain-clothes officers, but had not identified most of the people involved or supplied precise dates and times. The State argued that the allegations were unsupported and could not establish a stateable claim.
The judgment records that earlier complaints to the Garda Ombudsman Commission had not produced supporting evidence for the current case. One complaint was found inadmissible because the described behaviour would not amount to an offence or disciplinary breach; other complaint outcomes were not entirely clear from the material before the court.
The judge directed Meehan to serve amended pleadings in line with the judgment within 14 days. Ireland will have 28 days from receiving them to deliver a defence. Costs of the motions were reserved to the hearing of the action, with either side given liberty to apply on notice about costs.