PAC to appeal order on Kerins files
Last week, Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy ruled she is entitled to certain categories of documents used by the PAC relating to its probe into the funding of Rehab.
When the matter returned before her yesterday, the judge was told the PAC wanted to appeal her order because there would be a large amount of work involved in obtaining the files which the PAC had argued were not necessary for her case. If the appeal is successful, all the work in compiling those documents will have been in vain, it was argued.
Ms Kerins seeks a number of orders including one restraining the committee from pursuing further examination of Rehab’s finances insofar as they relate to her former employment. She is also seeking damages for alleged distress and injury to her health. She claims that the PAC conducted itself unlawfully, showed bias towards her, acted outside its remit, and committed a misfeasance in public office.
The PAC denies her claims.
Ms Justice Kennedy was told by John Rogers, for Ms Kerins, she was seeking an expedited hearing as the composition of the PAC is likely to change by next year, if not within a few months, once there is an election.
The judge said she would allow eight weeks for the defendants to make discovery of the documents sought but she was prepared to grant a stay on the basis that an appeal against her order is lodged within two weeks.
In her ruling last week, Ms Justice Kennedy said Ms Kerins was entitled to four categories of documents, including those relating to the PAC’S terms of reference when a decision was made to commence examination of payments made to Rehaband which resulted in Ms Kerins attendance before the PAC in February 2014.
