Munster Express Online

The High Court has given Fine Gael permission to challenge the Government’s failure to call by-elections in Waterford and Dublin South, writes Jamie O’Keeffe.

Local Senator Paudie Coffey and Michael Van Turnhout, the party’s constituency chairman in Dublin South, lodged applications for a hearing on foot of last week’s judgment declaring the delay in moving the writ for the vacancy in Donegal South-West to be unconstitutional. A full hearing is scheduled for November 22 and could last several days – possibly coinciding with the by-election in Donegal SW on Thursday the 25th.

With Martin Cullen having resigned all of eight months ago and the Government’s working majority negligible, Fine Gael TD John Deasy says: “It is impossible to argue any longer with any sense of credibility that one by-election should be held but that the other three should not. People in the Government have argued that by holding a general election there would be a risk to the country of instability at a time when we are struggling to maintain our economic sovereignty.”

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