A round-up of other courts news in brief
A Supreme Court judge has praised the "exceptionally high standard" of media reporting of cases before the Supreme Court.
Mrs Justice Susan Denham made the remark yesterday afternoon from the Supreme Court bench when informing the media that an urgent application about to be heard by the court was being brought under the Adoption Act and therefore had to be heard in camera, which means that the news media cannot be present.
Mrs Justice Denham was presiding over a three- judge Supreme Court and sitting with Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns and Mr Justice Eamon de Valera, the latter sitting as an ex officio member.
When Carmel Stewart SC, for one of the parties in the case, applied to have it heard in camera, Mrs Justice Denham, turning to the press bench, thanked the media for being present but said the matter, unfortunately, was in camera.
"I'm delighted to see the exceptionally high standard of reporting we normally have in this court," she said. "Thank you."
Uncertainty over Lapland flights
A question mark hangs over flights to Lapland before Christmas for almost 1,000 holidaymakers after the Commercial Court yesterday rejected a travel company's bid to overturn the aviation regulator's refusal to renew its operator's licence.
Mr Justice Peter Charleton also refused leave to appeal his decision made against Manorcastle Ltd, Clonkeen Road, Deansgrange, Dublin, trading as United Travel.
The Commission for Aviation Regulation had refused to renew the licence on October 24th last claiming there were inadequate financial arrangements and resources in place to meet the company's actual and potential obligations.
The court heard that almost 1,000 seats to Lapland had been booked with the first of nine flights up to Christmas due to go out next Friday, December 5th. The company needed to sell 1,200 seats to break even, the court heard.
Yesterday, Mr Justice Charleton said he was satisfied the tour operator had been given a fair hearing by the aviation regulator.
School appeals autistic direction
A national school has asked the High Court to overturn a Department of Education direction requiring it to accept a pupil to its special facility for autistic children. The Dublin school claims an appeals system set up under the 1998 Education Act cannot be used to go outside its enrolment policy.
That policy requires that the boy involved must be first assessed as autistic by clinical psychologists.