A Fine Gael member’s legal challenge to a party headquarters’ decision preventing her selection as a candidate in next June’s local elections will be heard at the High Court next week.
Naja Regan, a law graduate and daughter of Senator Eugene Regan, claims she was wrongly deprived by the party executive council of her opportunity to contest the February 26th selection convention although she had been put forward as a candidate by the Monkstown branch.
A direction was given by the executive council that only the three sitting councillors, John Bailey, Tom O’Higgins and Mary Mitchell-O’Connor could run in the June poll.
Ms Regan wants an injunction requiring the party trustees, including leader Enda Kenny, to hold a new convention and a declaration that the party breached its own rules and constitution in depriving her of an opportunity to be selected.
Ms Justice Mary Laffoy said today a judge has been assigned to hear the case.
Following discussions with Gerard Hogan SC, for Ms O’Regan, and Michael McDowell SC, for Fine Gael, it was agreed the case will be heard on March 26th.
In her action, Ms Regan has said, after she was proposed and seconded at a party convention, the guest chairperson informed the meeting a directive had been issued by the FG executive council “to the effect or like effect” the three sitting councillors in Dún Laoghaire must be selected by the convention.
She said no vote was taken in breach of the party’s rules providing eligible FG members have an express entitlement to vote at a convention. Those who have been properly nominated have an entitlement to be considered for selection by those entitled to vote, “subject only to the lawful directive of the executive council of the party”, she said.