The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a businessman’s appeal over the rejection of his challenge to the process for nominating candidates in the presidential election. Niall Byrne sought a Supreme Court appeal after the High Court dismissed his claim that Fine Gael leader Simon Harris’s direction to the party’s local authority members against nominating Independent candidates in the election was unconstitutional. Mr Byrne sought a ‘leapfrog’ appeal, that is, one directly to the Supreme Court rather than the Court of Appeal, against the High Court’s rejection last October of his challenge. Mr Justice Cregan said any reform of the nomination process was in the political realm and, if there was reform, that would ultimately be a matter for the people in a referendum. If the court decides it is justiciable, it will then consider if such a direction amounts to an impermissible interference with the nomination process as provided for in Article 12.

Source: The Irish Times December 28, 2025 19:52 UTC