John Waters and Gemma O’Doherty supporters crowd into High Court before action mention

More than 100 supporters of John Waters and Gemma O’Doherty crowded into the Four Court Round Hall today before a mention of their High Court action challenging laws introduced by the State in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

From about 10.30am, more than 40 supporters went into court number one, where the case was due to be mentioned at 11am, and were seated close together.

More people began to arrive into the Four Courts Complex and by 11am more than 100 people were gathered closely together in the Round Hall of the Four Courts where they were addressed by Ms O’Doherty and Mr Waters who urged people to “take back the country”.

A small number of gardaí monitored the situation.

By 11am, courtroom number one and been cleared of supporters and only Mr Waters and Ms O’Doherty remained for the mention of the case before Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy.

In their judicial review proceedings against the State and the Minister for Health, Mr Waters and Ms O’Doherty are seeking to have various pieces of recently enacted legislation declared null and void by a judge of the High Court.

This includes the 2020 Health Preservation and Protection and Other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, the 2020 Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act and the 1947 Health Act (Affected Areas) Order 2020. Their proceedings are aimed at striking down temporary restrictions introduced by the Government.

Ms O’Doherty and Mr Waters represented themselves in court last week as they applied for permission to bring their challenge. The matter, which was heard on an ex-parte basis, where only one side was represented in court, was mentioned before Mr Justice Mark Sanfey.

Mr Waters told the court the legislation was “unconstitutional”, “improperly enacted” and “very flawed”.

The judge said the court was only concerned about the legality of the legislation challenged and not about any Government policy, directed the application for permission to bring the challenge be made on notice to the State respondents and adjourned the matter to today.