DRA member defends judgement delays
Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) panel member Niall Dolan has defended the DRA's decision to take its time over cases, which he says have to be examined in minute detail before a ruling is made.
Dolan was responding to comments in today's Irish Independent by journalist Martin Breheny who was baffled that a 152-year old British court ruling was referenced in a decision last week in relation to a judgement on Monaghan footballer Paul Finlay.
"The DRA now have to listen to the arguments that barristers would have made in the High Court," the Cavan-based solicitor told RTE Radio 1's Drivetime Sport.
"What happened here was that a barrister on behalf of Paul Finlay or the Monaghan County Board made a point about Turquand's case - it's a principal about internal regulation and keeping your own house in order."
Dolan, who was not involved in the Finlay case or the much-publicised Paul Galvin case, added: "If you read what the DRA said, they said that we have listened to your point, we are addressing it and it's not quite relevant."
Dolan also believes that the DRA's evaluation of cases is a fair and meticulous procedure and has replaced the old system of going to the High Court to seek an injunction.
"The DRA replace County Boards running into the High Court to get matches stopped.
"If you go into the High Court a judge is going to say I haven't time to read all of this, I'm going to cancel the match on Sunday and we will deal with this next week.
"What the DRA do is they sit in a hotel at 8 o'clock and if they have to sit there until 4am, they sit there so matches aren't cancelled."
The DRA's statement this evening, which confirmed its decision to refer the Galvin case to a newly constituted Central Hearings Committee (CHC), came following two separate appearances before the DRA Tribunal by Galvin on July 15 and 21.
It had been suspected that a quick decision would be reached following Monday's meeting, but there was no concrete news on the situation until this evening.
Earlier today, Paul Galvin's mother told RTE Radio 1's Liveline programme that the wait for the DRA decision was particularly frustrating.
"It's pretty stressful at the moment. We just want to get this thing over and done with now and take it on from there," she said.
"We can't understand what is going on with the DRA or what they are waiting for? It isn't that complicated a case."
Paul's mother referenced the quick decision made last week by the DRA in relation to the case of Dublin footballer Colin Moran, which ensured that he lined out in last Sunday's Leinster SFC final against Wexford.
"We just can't understand the delay. I see where a Dublin player (Colin Moran) was in (for a hearing) on Thursday night and he was told coming out he would hear within the hour or before the night was out (about the decision for his hearing).
"Now how can one decision take so long to come out and another man be told coming out the door where he stood?"
"We have got tremendous support and it is just unbelievable. It's unreal really," she added.
"What is going on at the moment to me is blackguarding."
