The State Solicitor for North Kildare and Wicklow yesterday won his High Court challenge to a decision to retire him at the age of 65 and was awarded £100,000 damages and costs.
Mr Charles E. Coonan (65) had claimed that under his contract, he was entitled to continue working until he was 70, health permitting.
In her judgment Ms Justice Carroll said the treatment Mr Coonan had received was "indefensible". Mr Coonan has been State Solicitor since 1974. When he applied for an extension of his contract on becoming 65 he was refused. He was allowed to continue working until yesterday. There is no pension with the position.