CFO did not have right skills, claims jewellers

A jewellery shop on Dublin’s Grafton Street says accountancy firm Grant Thornton appointed someone who did not have the necessary skills to act as the jewellers’ chief financial officer, the High Court has heard.

Paul Sheeran Jewellers (Johnson’s Court) Ltd is suing Grant Thornton for negligence, breach of contract, and misrepresentation over the accountants’ choice of its own employees to work as chief financial officer (CFO) in the jewellery store.

Grant Thornton denies the claims and asked the High Court to order Sheeran to provide security for legal costs should the jewellers lose the case. The accountants estimated the cost to them of defending the case at €637,076 although this figure was disputed by Sheeran.