An attempt by Bridget Conway, a protocol officer for President Mary McAleese, to stop her employers conducting a disciplinary investigation against her, is to be ruled on by the High Court today.
Mr Justice Kevin Feeney said that while Ms Conway's proceedings would continue to a full trial, he would give his judgment on her application for an injunction restraining the State from embarking on the disciplinary inquiry.
Ms Conway is a higher executive officer in the Civil Service, of Clane Road, Celbridge, Co Kildare.
She is suing the Taoiseach, Ireland, the Attorney General and Brian Spain, a personnel officer in the Department of Defence, who has been nominated to conduct the investigation.
Mr Justice Feeney said he would consider in the new law term applications by Roddy Horan SC, counsel for Ms Conway, to join as defendants Brian McCarthy, secretary general to the President, and Loughlin Quinn, deputy secretary general.
Mark Connaughton SC, who appears with Tom Mallon for the State, told the court, during a morning which was taken up mainly in legal argument, that he would at the same time be applying to have Mr Spain removed as a defendant in the proceedings.
Ms Conway has claimed it was a hug between herself and President McAleese, on her return to Áras an Uachtaráin from having attended the funerals of the victims of the Omagh bombing, which triggered a sequence of events that brought her to the Four Courts.
She alleges she has been stripped of most of her functions as a protocol officer in which she had enjoyed an especially close working relationship with the President, travelling the country with her and drafting her speaking notes.
Ms Conway claimed a disciplinary inquiry against her had been embarked upon against her because of a personal animus on the part of two civil servants, Mr Quinn and Mr McCarthy.
Mr Quinn and Mr McCarthy in affidavits read to court denied her allegations.
Mr McCarthy rejected claims that he intensely disliked Ms Conway or that such an alleged "personal animus" by him against her had ever existed.
Mr Quinn said he had no motive whatsoever to harass Ms Conway.
Mr Connaughton said in his legal submissions that Ms Conway's allegations had involved "the demonisation" of Mr McCarthy and Mr Quinn.