Show Jumping Association postpone voting on dismissal of chairman, three directors
High Court Reporter
The Show Jumping Association of Ireland and eight of its named directors have told Mr Justice Garrett Simons in the High Court that they will postpone voting on a resolution to dismiss its chairman and three directors.
Barrister Martin Canny, who appeared for Chairman Des McFadden and colleagues Neal Doherty, Derek Reid and Aldyth Roulston, said there had been consent by all of the parties for an interim injunction restraining voting staying in place until further order of the court.
The Association board had listed the resolution for consideration on Tuesday, but had been restrained by the High Court.
It had been proposed to vote on the proposed dismissal of McFadden, of Kilens Road, Mountfield, Omagh, Co Tyrone; Doherty, of Parade Road, Ballymena, Co Antrim; Reid, of Springhill Road, Moneymore, Magherafelt, Co Derry, and Roulston of Castlewarren Road, Donemana, Strabane, Co Tyrone.
Mr Canny, who appeared with Marcus Hanahoe of M.E. Hanahoe Solicitors, told Judge Simons today that an agreement had been reached with Clodagh Gartlan, counsel for the Association and Sean Aherne, counsel for eight named members of the board, to keep the restraining injunction in place until 8th October.
He had earlier told Judge Simons that a disciplinary process that might lead to the termination of his clients’ directorships had been commenced by the Association and most likely supported by eight named directors.
The eight directors involved were identified as Marguerite Ryan, Ballinbarna, The Rower, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny; Taylor Vard, Hillside Stud, Ballyedmonduff, Stepaside, Co Dublin; Melvyn Kennedy, The racecourse, Danesfort, Co Kilkenny; Tony Hurley, Forest Lodge, Cullen, Mallow, Co Cork; Tomas Ryan, Mill Road, Thurles, Co Tipperary; Aideen Kirby, Coosane, Birdhill, Limerick, Co Limerick; Tommy Gibbons, Mayfield, Rooskey, Claremorris, Co Mayo, and Kenneth Feeney, Cluan Na Cathrach, Caheroyan, Athenry, Co Galway.
The resolution to have been voted on had called for a decision on whether McFadden, Doherty, Reid and Roulston should be removed from the board and its standing committees on the basis that they had failed to properly inform the board on the content and extent of litigation involving the Association’s Ulster Region against a former treasurer there.
McFadden, in written evidence, had stated that if not restrained, the Association’s dismissal of him and his three colleagues would cause catastrophic and irreparable and irremediable damage to their good names and reputations.
He stated such dismissals as planned could undermine court proceedings in Northern Ireland against former Ulster Region Treasurer Allison Mercer, who, he claimed, had failed to account for certain monies following queries that had been raised by the Association’s auditors.
Judge Simons continued the injunction until October 8th or an earlier order of the court.
