President Mary McAleese's protocol officer was yesterday given permission by the High Court to join two senior civil servants - the secretary general and deputy secretary general to the President - as defendants in her legal action relating to disciplinary proceedings involving her, which she claims are "bogus" and "contrived".
Bridget Conway, who lost a recent court bid for an injunction to stop the disciplinary investigation pending the outcome of her legal action, is in those proceedings seeking a declaration that she is and continues to be the protocol officer in the office of the President.
She is also seeking a declaration that the purported disciplinary investigation is tainted beyond redemption.
In her proceedings against An Taoiseach, Ireland, the Attorney General and the two civil servants, she is seeking an order directing the restoration of external functions as protocol officer. In the High Court yesterday Mr Justice Kevin Feeney granted Ms Conway's application to join Loughlin Quinn, [personnel officer and now deputy secretary general in the office of the secretary to the President] and Brian McCarthy, secretary general in the same office, as defendants in the proceedings.
The judge also granted a State application to strike out a Department of Defence official, Brian Spain, as a defendant.