Election dispute rumbles on
A motion passed at the regional AGM declared the postal vote election null and void, after it emerged the region’s Emergency Committee had opted to extend the election closing date by three days, citing a postal strike. Members on the night voted that the election should be re-run.
But Ms Furlong - then Leinster Region chairperson - subsequently sought the opinion of the SJAI solicitor, who deemed the motion invalid and, yesterday, she said she had no reason to doubt this.
“I must be guided by the SJAI company solicitor, who directed that the motion was invalid. The motion was not properly before the meeting.
“The decision of the Emergency Committee was made in good faith,” she said.
Ms Furlong was installed as SJAI chairperson at the first meeting of the association’s new national executive on Tuesday night. The meeting was presented with a solicitor’s letter sent on behalf of Leinster Region election candidate Liam Buckley to Ms Furlong. In it he queried the Leinster Region election process.
Mr Buckley, who controversially resigned as a senior selector last year, sought to stop the executive meeting from going ahead. He also sought to restrain the newly-convened national executive, while comprising members of the Leinster Region, from taking any action.
The letter posed six questions to Ms Furlong, which were answered by the SJAI solicitor. The questions and responses are:
*Who were the members of the Emergency Committee? Ms Furlong, Charlie Murphy, Dorothy O’Keeffe, Paddy Mullen and Marion Murphy.
*What, if any, notification was provided to members of the deadline extension? No notification was provided.
* Can it be outlined whether all votes received subsequent to the extension of the deadline were votes the receipt of which was delayed by virtue of the postal strike? It is not possible to give a definitive opinion on this.
*What is the basis for the appointment of Mairéad Divilly as scrutineer of the election vote? This has been standard practice for a number of years.
*Can you provide any report prepared by Ms Divilly in relation to the counting of votes: No report was prepared.
*Can you provide the minutes of the [Leinster Region] meeting of December 7, 2005. Minutes have not yet been typed up and will be provided at the next AGM.
Mr Buckley, in a separate letter sent by his solicitor to outgoing chairman Charles Hanley, disputed the legal advice that the motion at the Leinster Region AGM was invalid, saying “a quorum of the members was present and the members were lawfully entitled to address an issue which arose during the meeting”.
In this letter, he threatened to initiate legal proceedings to ensure members got what they had sought: “Our client [Mr Buckley] will have no option but to consider all necessary legal steps including reporting the SJAI and its officers to the Director of Corporate Enforcement.”
Yesterday, Mr Buckley said: “This is not an idle threat. If the directors of the SJAI are going to trade recklessly, something must be done and it is incumbent upon us as members to ensure the association is run properly. This has nothing to do with Patricia Furlong being chairman. This is not personal. We do not want anybody’s head on a plate. This is about proper procedure being followed and being seen to be followed. All we want is for the members to get what they voted for and that is for a new election,” he said.
Installed as SJAI vice-chairperson on Tuesday night was Waterford woman Joan Keane.
* JESSICA KÜRTEN bids to improve her World Cup standings in Leipzig this weekend, buoyed by her phenomenal success in Dubai. The German-based 36-year-old was in devastating form at the inaugural Al Maktoum Memorial Challenge a week ago, winning show jumping’s riches prize - €207,000 - when posting the only double clear in the grand prix on Quibell.
She warmed up the previous day in the United Arab Emirate by taking the Dubai Masters on Castle Forbes Libertina and, for good measure, she also rode Quibell to fourth in the feature competition on day one of the inaugural show.
Kürten lines out in Leipzig in equal 20th place on the Western European League. She rides Quibell, Commander and Castle Forbes Ivy. Cork man Billy Twomey will also be bidding to make an impression and travels with Luidam, Whinnie Jackson and Anastasia III, while Cameron Hanley competes with Night Dancer, Concept, Hippica Kerman and Royal Star.
* SHOW jumpers are asked to note that the Indoor Spring League at the West Cork Equine Centre, Bandon, will start on February 5. Running for 12 rounds, the league carries SJAI points and finishes on April 9. Pony competitions start at 10am sharp, with horses classes beginning at 3pm, approximately.
