Irish Countrywomen’s Association faces injunction over elections

Lawyers for the Irish Countrywomen's Association have urged the High Court not to grant orders preventing it from filling positions on its national executive.

Patricia Madden, who joined the association 39 years ago, has brought proceedings against the organisation over the conduct of elections for its national executive.

The association accepted there were problems with the elections, which it wanted to rectify, but said the action should be dismissed and it should be permitted to advance proposals that would allow members decide the issues raised by Ms Madden.

Ms Madden, a barrister, of St Mobhi Road, Glasnevin in Dublin, claimed the organisation breached its constitution when it failed to count ballots cast by its membership in advance of its agm last May.

She claims the association should have declared the winners of the election at the agm. She wants the votes counted and an injunction preventing board vacancies being filled.

She brought the action so the votes can be counted and the winners declared.

The association has undertaken not to destroy the ballot papers for the 2018 elections.