Doherty v Government of Ireland – High Court declares actions of Government unreasonable

Ruadhán and Colm had earlier won a landmark constitutional and electoral law case, when Pearse Doherty, then a Sinn Féin Senator, claimed in 2010 there had been excessive delay by the Government in filling the vacancy that had arisen in his constituency (Donegal South-West) left by formed TD, Pat The Cope Gallagher.

The High Court ruled that the delay was unreasonable, and that it was so inordinate that it breached Mr Doherty’s constitutional rights. For a detailed discussion of the judgement in Doherty v Government of Ireland, see, among others, the Law Library module on electoral law.