Chairman presses for early hearing of appeal

An appeal to the Supreme Court by the Murphy group should be heard as soon as possible if serious logistical delays at the Flood Tribunal are to be avoided, Mr Justice Flood acknowledged yesterday.

Responding to Mr Frank Callanan SC, for Mr James Gogarty, Mr Michael Cush SC, for the Murphy group, said the group was appealing a decision by Mr Justice Geoghegan, given in the High Court last week.

The decision was to refuse leave for a judicial review of Mr Justice Flood's ruling that an affidavit filed in the Isle of Man by the late Mr Liam Conroy be admissible at the tribunal.

Last week counsel for the Murphy group argued unsuccessfully before Mr Justice Geoghegan that this decision should be the subject of review by the court. Now the Murphy group has appealed Mr Justice Geoghegan's decision to the Supreme Court.

Yesterday Mr Callanan accused the Murphy legal team of not stressing the urgency of the matter to the Supreme Court. Mr Cush said this was not the case as a date for the hearing may be imminent.

Mr Justice Flood said he hoped Mr Cush and his team would be successful in their efforts to secure an early hearing.