Politics

Fine Gael trustees discuss John Perry allegations

TD accused the party of pressuring a witness not to give evidence in his court challenge

Fine Gael TD John Perry has accused the party of putting a witness in his court challenge under pressure not to give evidence.
Fine Gael TD John Perry has accused the party of putting a witness in his court challenge under pressure not to give evidence.
Sarah Bardon
Wed Jul 27 2016 - 01:00

Fine Gael trustees met last night to discuss allegations by former TD John Perry about a case taken against the party.

Mr Perry has alleged the party put a witness under pressure not to give evidence in a High Court challenge which he took against Fine Gael.

The former Sligo-Leitrim TD had taken and won a court case against the party and its handling of a selection convention in the constituency when he failed to win a nomination.

However, he was later added to the ticket after successfully challenging the case.

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Mr Perry and the witness have now both written to Fine Gael outlining their concerns over the party’s actions in the lead-up to the High Court challenge.

The two pieces of correspondence were considered by the trustees at a meeting in the party’s headquarters last night.

Trustees

The trustees include senior counsel Frank Callinan and Ian Brennan; Nama board member Mari Hurley; partner in the law firm Gore and Grimes Mary Hayes; former TD for Clare Madeleine Taylor-Quinn; John McHugh, a dentist in Castlebar; Jerry Carey, a businessman from Little Island in Cork; and MEP Deirdre Clune.

In a letter sent to chairman of the party Tom Curran, Mr Perry said a witness was pressurised not to attend the court hearing despite being subpoenaed.