Businessman who bid to block judicial appointment seeks Supreme Court appeal

A businessman who failed in an eleventh-hour bid to block Mr Justice Peter Kelly’s appointment as president of the High Court has sought an appeal at the Supreme Court.

Jerry Beades, an activist with the New Land League, has alleged that Mr Justice Kelly is not an appropriate appointment for the role, citing a case in which he said the judge demonstrated bias against him.

An application for an interim order preventing Mr Justice Kelly’s appointment caused a short ceremony at Áras an Uachtaráin to be delayed by over an hour on Monday.

Mr Justice Paul Gilligan dismissed the allegations and said Mr Beades’ action was designed to cause “acute embarrassment” to the judge.

An appeal has now been formally lodged. Mr Beades has claimed that “exceptional circumstances” merit an appeal to the Supreme Court rather than the Court of Appeal.

A hearing is expected early next year.