Judgement reserved in O’Domhnaill’s High Court bid to halt SIPO investigation

Judgement has been reserved in a High Court case taken by Donegal Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill seeking to halt an investigation by the Standards in Public Office Commission into alleged duplication of expenses claims.
The Commission was due to begin a public session concerning the expenses matter, but that was postponed after Senator O Donhnaill secured leave to bring his challenge.
He argues the case should be heard by a Commission comprising members who are bilingual and able to conduct and understand the proceedings in Irish, without the assistance of an interpreter.
Senator O’Domhnaill claims that unless the tribunal is bilingual, his rights as an Irish speaker will be infringed. He alleges he will be disadvantaged if an interpreter is necessary to translate the evidence and submissions given on his behalf in Irish, as translator evidence is not the same as direct evidence
Senator O’Domhnaill alleges the failure to provide a bilingual tribunal amounts to treating him as a foreigner in his own country instead of a person who speaks the first official language of Ireland.
Opposing the case, the Commission and the State argued the complaint being investigated relates to alleged duplication of expenses claims, and the investigation is in the public interest.
The proceedings, which were brought against SIPO, the Minister for the Environment and the State, were conducted in Irish before Mr Justice Gerard Hogan, who has reserved judgement after hearing final submissions.