Angela Kerins to resume court action against PAC today

Tue, 04 Oct, 2016 - 01:29

Angela Kerins’ legal action against the Public Accounts Committee is due to resume before the High Court this morning.

The former Rehab CEO claims the committee acted outside its powers during a hearing she attended in February 2014.

Angela Kerins was asked to appear before the 2014 PAC members to discuss the spending of State funds at the Rehab Group.

By straying into areas she considered “wholly private” such as her €240,000 salary and bonus payments, she claims the committee was acting ultra vires.

When her case opened back in July, the court heard she felt she was on trial for some unspecified charges and she said she tried to take her own life as a result of the fallout that followed her appearance.

She wants her name removed from the public record and is seeking damages for the effects it had on her health.

Counsel for PAC believes the case being put forward by Ms Kerins seeks to extend the control of the courts over parliamentary proceedings in a very significant and wholly unprecedented way.

The hearing will resume later this morning.