Challenge to referendum

A prisoner in Mountjoy has been granted leave to present a petition challenging the result of one of the three referendums held…

A prisoner in Mountjoy has been granted leave to present a petition challenging the result of one of the three referendums held on June 7th, it emerged last night.

On Friday, Justice Mella Carroll ruled that she was satisfied that there was prima facie evidence of irregularity in the conduct of the Referendum on 23rd Amendment to the Constitution, which dealt with Ireland's ratification of the International Criminal Court.

In the run-up to June 7th, the prisoner, Mr Pat O'Doherty, tried and failed to block the holding of all three referendums, arguing that he was being discriminated against because he was not allowed as a prisoner to vote.