Retiree bids to challenge HSE report

A RETIRED health board official has applied to the High Court for leave to bring a legal challenge to aspects of the HSE report into Leas Cross nursing home.

The proceedings have been brought by Michael Walsh, former acting chief executive of the Northern Area Health Board, with an address at Garristown, Co Dublin.

Eoin McCullough SC, for Mr Walsh, yesterday applied to Mr Justice Liam McKechnie for leave to bring the judicial review challenge.

That report, published on November 10 last, was carried out in the wake of a Prime Time programme which raised serious concerns about treatment of patients at the home.

Counsel said his client’s complaint was about how he had been treated in the report and about its failure to include his comments in the published version.

His side had been in correspondence with the HSE about the matter up to last week, which was why the application for leave had not been brought until now, counsel said.

Mr Justice McKechnie said he would consider the application as having been moved.

The judge said he would read the documents in the application and would give his decision on Monday.