The president of the High Court has urged the Dáil to reconsider its refusal to enter a non-binding mediation of a claim for damages by former Rehab CEO Angela Kerins over her treatment by the Dáil Public Accounts Committee at hearings in 2014. Ms Kerins, the judge noted, has said she is willing to engage in mediation in the hope to end the litigation which she said has had a very adverse effect on her. Ms Kerins appealed to the Supreme Court which, in a landmark judgment, found the PAC acted unlawfully in its treatment of Ms Kerins in acting outside its terms of reference and of its invitation to Ms Kerins to appear before it. It could not be assumed there was an entitlement to damages and any such claim raised “novel” issues of law, it said. The second leg of Ms Kerins case involves claims for misfeasance in public office, breach of constitutional rights and damages.

Source: The Irish Times January 20, 2020 17:15 UTC