AN engineer was given leave in the High Court yesterday to challenge a decision by the Cork Co Council motor tax office to refuse to tax motor vehicles after documents were presented.
Dr Michael Grimes, Washington Street West, Cork, was granted leave to seek judicial review by Mr Justice Barr.
Dr Grimes said in an affidavit that he ran motor tax offices in Charleville, Youghal, Macroom and Cork.
People went to his offices to have their vehicles taxed, or obtain drivers' licences or any other acts normally carried out in the motor tax office at the Cork County Hall, for a prescribed fee.
The logic behind this was that the motor tax office was very congested and suffered from "bureaucratic lunacy" as a matter of course. People had to stand and queue for very lengthy periods, as much as an hour, and if the slightest thing was wrong the person was sent home rather than having the problem dealt with.
His staff went to the motor tax office and queued for hours on end, on a daily basis, thus saving his clients the trouble of going to Cork at expense to them and wasting their time queuing.
Dr Grimes said the service had been operating for some six years and had run smoothly and without hitch until recently. A new supervisor, Mr Kevin O'Regan, was appointed and decided that they would do everyone else's tax but not his (Dr Grimes's).
Over a month ago, Mr O'Regan tried to refuse to tax any vehicles but he backed down. During the ensuing period the office kept threatening only to do a few each time or none at all. On a number of occasions they might do three and send the staff member to the back, of the queue to queue up again.
On Friday, February 2nd last, he went to the motor tax office with his assistant and she had some nine vehicles to tax. She queued for some 30 minutes and when she got to the counter she was informed they would not do any vehicles for her as they were too busy and she would have to come back the following week.
Dr Grimes said he believed the management in the motor tax office had decided to try and put him out of business as they regarded him as competition. Unless the court restrained the council, he would suffer severe loss, be out of business and suffer grave damage to his reputation.
Mr Justice Barr said the situation called for explanation and there was a prima facie case to go for judicial review.