Liam Lawlor's widow loses High Court Mahon challenge
The High Court has dismissed an application by the widow of the late TD Liam Lawlor to prevent the Mahon tribunal making serious findings of misconduct against either herself and her husband unless proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Today Mr Justice Roderick Murphy also dismissed Mrs Lawlor's application to the court to require the tribunal to fund "effective" legal representation for her before it.
In his judgment, the judge said he was satisfied that Hazel Lawlor's case had "not been substantiated by the arguments and submissions made to the court".
It is understood that Mrs Lawlor, who was present in court, is considering appealing yesterday's decision to the Supreme Court.
Mr Lawlor died in a car crash in Moscow in October 2005. His widow Hazel Lawlor, Somerton House Lucan, Co Dublin brought judicial review proceedings seeking several declarations, including that the Mahon Tribunal may not make findings of serious misconduct against her late husband or herself unless supported by evidence proven beyond any reasonable doubt and not on the balance of probabilities.
She also wanted the court to order the tribunal to make all necessary financial arrangements to enable her to engage effective legal representation for herself during tribunal proceedings.
She was further seeking declarations that failure to provide such financial arrangements is a violation of her right to fair proceedings and a breach of her constitutional right to protect and vindicate the good names of herself, her husband and family.
Mrs Lawlor, who was granted limited representation by tribunal chairman Judge Alan Mahon in November 2005, is a witness at the Quarryvale II module of the Tribunal.
Her involvement is limited to lodgements made to her personal accounts between 1991 and 1995.
