The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland is to contest a High Court order secured yesterday by its own general secretary, Mr Charlie Lennon. Seán Flynn, Education Editor, reports.
The order means that the union cannot proceed with an inquiry into what Mr Lennon said were "claims made by me for reimbursement of costs incurred on ASTI business between 1999 and 2001".
Mr Lennon, general secretary of the union for 13 years, accused the two officers conducting the investigation - union president, Mr Pat Cahill and vice-president, Ms Susie Hall - of having "shown prejudice against me in the past". Mr Lennon made this allegation in a press statement based on his affidavit to Mr Justice O'Donovan in the High Court.
Last night, Mr Cahill strongly rejected this charge. He said he was acting on a complaint made by the treasurer, Ms Patricia Wroe, about expense claims. "A complaint was made and I had a responsibility to investigate it fully and in an independent way," he said.
Mr Cahill said the union would be contesting the injunction at the next court hearing scheduled for October 6th. This takes place two days after the 180-member ASTI central executive is due to hear a report on the controversy. .
Relations between Mr Lennon, a full-time paid official, and the officers elected by ASTI members have been very strained for some time. Mr Lennon opposed ASTI's strategy in support of its 30 per cent pay rise. But this was strongly supported by Mr Cahill, Ms Hall and Ms Wroe.
In his statement, Mr Lennon said: "The injunctions were sought on the basis that the allegations were rejected by me, that the procedures employed by the current president and vice-president to deal with the allegations were flawed and unfair, and that the two officers involved in conducting the investigation had shown prejudice against me in the past".
Prolonged and bitter conflict sowed seed for court action: page 4