Kerins -v- McGuinness & ors [2015] IECA 267 (10 December 2015)

Kerins -v- McGuinness & ors [2015] IECA 267 (10 December 2015)

Discovery of documents is not relevant or necessary for determination of the jurisdictional issues in this judicial review; jurisdictional issues must be determined first, and applications for discovery are to be adjourned until after such determination.

Citation
[2015] IECA 267
Parties
Applicant/respondent: Angela Kerins; Respondent/appellant: Deputy John McGuinness; Respondent/appellant: Deputy Mary Lou McDonald; Respondent/appellant: Deputy Shane Ross; Respondent/appellant: Deputy Áine Collins; Respondent/appellant: Deputy Paul J. Connaughton; Respondent/appellant: Deputy John Deasy; Respondent/appellant: Deputy Robert Dowds; Respondent/appellant: Deputy Seán Fleming; Respondent/appellant: Deputy Simon Harris; Respondent/appellant: Deputy Eoghan Murphy; Respondent/appellant: Deputy Gerald Nash; Respondent/appellant: Deputy Derek Nolan; Respondent/appellant: Deputy Kieran O’Donnell; Respondent/appellant: The Clerk of Dáil Éireann; Respondent/appellant: The Clerk of the Public Accounts Committee; Respondent/appellant: Ireland; Respondent/appellant: The Attorney General
Jurisdiction
Ireland
Judgment Date
10 December 2015
Procedural Posture
Judicial Review Appeal / Appeal From High Court Order for Discovery
Outcome
Appeal allowed; High Court order for discovery set aside; applications for discovery adjourned until after determination of jurisdictional issues.
Legal Topics
Judicial Review, Discovery, Parliamentary Privilege, Jurisdiction, Misfeasance in Public Office
Administrative Law Constitutional Law Judicial Review Discovery Parliamentary Privilege Jurisdiction Misfeasance in Public Office

Case Brief

Summary, issues, holding and outcome

More case intelligence is available

Unlock the full research layer for this judgment.

Full judgment text Downloadable case file Legal principles 2 Authorities cited 8 Party arguments 2
Sign in to unlock

Parties

Angela Kerins

Applicant/respondent

Deputy John McGuinness

Respondent/appellant

Deputy Mary Lou McDonald

Respondent/appellant

Deputy Shane Ross

Respondent/appellant

Deputy Áine Collins

Respondent/appellant

Deputy Paul J. Connaughton

Respondent/appellant

Deputy John Deasy

Respondent/appellant

Deputy Robert Dowds

Respondent/appellant

Deputy Seán Fleming

Respondent/appellant

Deputy Simon Harris

Respondent/appellant

Deputy Eoghan Murphy

Respondent/appellant

Deputy Gerald Nash

Respondent/appellant

Deputy Derek Nolan

Respondent/appellant

Deputy Kieran O’Donnell

Respondent/appellant

The Clerk of Dáil Éireann

Respondent/appellant

The Clerk of the Public Accounts Committee

Respondent/appellant

Ireland

Respondent/appellant

The Attorney General

Respondent/appellant

Procedural Posture

Judicial Review Appeal / Appeal From High Court Order for Discovery

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether discovery of documents should be ordered in judicial review proceedings prior to determination of jurisdictional issues
  2. 2 Whether the Public Accounts Committee had jurisdiction to conduct the inquiry into payments by the Rehab Group
  3. 3 Whether the manner of examination deprived the PAC of jurisdiction

Ratio Decidendi

Discovery of documents is not relevant or necessary for determination of the jurisdictional issues in this judicial review; jurisdictional issues must be determined first, and applications for discovery are to be adjourned until after such determination.

Court Disposition

Appeal allowed; High Court order for discovery set aside; applications for discovery adjourned until after determination of jurisdictional issues.

Orders

  • Order remitting and adjourning applications for discovery before the High Court until after determination of jurisdictional issues.
  • High Court order refusing documents at paras. (v) and (vi) vacated; application adjourned until after determination of jurisdictional issues.