Appeal by Riordan on Monday

The Supreme Court has fixed Monday for the hearing of an appeal by Limerick lecturer Mr Denis Riordan aimed at stopping Wednesday…

The Supreme Court has fixed Monday for the hearing of an appeal by Limerick lecturer Mr Denis Riordan aimed at stopping Wednesday's abortion referendum.

The State had objected to any "fast-tracking" of the appeal, insisting the issues raised by Mr Riordan have already been decided by the courts.

Last month, Mr Riordan, of Redgate, applied to the High Court for leave to take judicial review proceedings to halt the referendum but his application was refused.

Yesterday, Mr Riordan applied for an interlocutory order to prevent the referendum proceeding until his appeal against the refusal of leave had been heard. He argued the procedure by which it was proposed to amend the Constitution involved mutilation of the Constitution, was illegal and in breach of Article 46.

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He disputed arguments by Mr Eoghan Fitzsimons SC, for the State, that the grounds on which he was seeking judicial review had already been decided in previous High Court and Supreme Court cases.