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High Court hears challenge over 'super junior' ministers

High Court hears challenge over 'super junior' ministers

RTÉ News​12 hours ago
A three-judge division of the High Court is hearing a challenge by Sinn Féin TD Pa Daly to the attendance of "super junior" ministers at Cabinet meetings.
Mr Daly has been joined at the High Court by party leader, Mary Lou McDonald and the party's finance spokesperson, Pearse Doherty who described the case as "very important".
Mr Daly got permission from the court to pursue the challenge in January, arguing that the Constitution limited the number of Government ministers to 15 and bound them to confidentiality about their discussions.
He is arguing that the appointment of ministers of state with rights to attend Cabinet is unconstitutional and that the Taoiseach and the Government have failed to act in accordance with the democratic process.
The super juniors who have been appointed to cabinet are Fine Gael's Hildegarde Naughton, Independents Seán Canney and Noel Grealish as well as Fianna Fáil's Mary Butler, who is also Government chief whip.
The Government is opposing his action and is being represented by a team led by Attorney General Rossa Fanning.
Three-judge divisions of the High Court are convened to hear matters of constitutional importance.
People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Paul Murphy, who has taken a similar action seeking an injunction stopping the junior ministers from attending Cabinet, is also in court.
His action is due to start later in the week.
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