Bid to block Mr Justice Kelly’s appointment is halted

A businessman’s bid to block Mr Justice Peter Kelly’s appointment as President of the High Court has finally been halted, The Irish Times reports.

Mr Justice Robert Haughton yesterday accepted a preliminary application to dismiss the case by Michael McDowell SC, acting on behalf of the State.

Mr Justice Haughton also awarded costs against businessman Jerry Beades, who has promised to appeal to the Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights.

The judge said Mr Beades had brought the case in order to damage the reputation of certain judges out of “a sense of grievance”.

He also said the litigant’s pursuit of publicity through the legal action “as an end in itself” was improper.