The co-ordinator of the European Studies Project Ireland has claimed he was wrongly discharged from his post after allegations of misconduct. These included a claim by a Northern Ireland colleague that he was intoxicated at two conferences and had danced with the male mayor at one of those gatherings, in Hungary.
Mr Roddy Horan, for Mr Andrew Ryan, yesterday secured leave from Mr Justice O Caoimh in the High Court to seek a judicial review of Mr Ryan's purported discharge from his post, as set out in a letter of August 15th last.
Mr Horan said that most of the complaints "verged on the frivolous" and had been conjoined with extraneous matters.
In proceedings against the Minister for Education and Science, Mr Ryan is seeking a declaration that he is, and continues to be, the lawful incumbent of the European Studies post.
According to Mr Ryan's affidavit, his purported discharge arose following a European Studies planning conference in Newcastle, Co Down, in April 1999. Afterwards his counterpart in Northern Ireland, Ms Maxine Judge, had criticised his conduct, saying he was intoxicated.
Mr Ryan said he took issue with the allegations against him. He denied he was intoxicated and said another participant had directly refuted the claim that his speech was incoherent.
He said a hotel drinks bill was discharged shortly afterwards. He also agreed that he had danced with the mayor.