Businessman fails in bid to block appointment of new High Court president

A bid by businessman Jerry Beades to block the appointment of Mr Justice Peter Kelly to the office of president of the High Court has failed.

Eoghan Fitzsimons SC, acting for the State, told the High Court in Dublin that the application was “vexatious, without merit and an abuse of process”, The Irish Times reports.

Mr Justice Paul Gilligan agreed that it was designed to cause “acute embarrassment” to the judge.

Mr Beades’ application for an interim order prohibiting the appointment caused a ceremony at Áras an Uachtaráin to be delayed by more than an hour.

Mr Justice Kelly was forced to wait before he could accept his seal of office from President Michael D Higgins.

Mr Justice Gilligan rejected Mr Beades’ bid and refused to grant a stay on the appointment pending an appeal to the Supreme Court.

He also awarded costs against Mr Beades.