Ray Burke and his Tribunal Tribulations

mike65

Ha! The chancer is being made to pay the price of his obfuscation and obstruction.

from unison.ie

The Planning Tribunal has ordered former government minister Ray Burke to pay his own legal costs, estimated at €10m. Mr Burke had wanted the State to foot the bill, claiming he would suffer an "unfair and crippling" financial penalty if forced to pay out the money himself. However, the Government had argued that he should pay his own costs after being found to have obstructed and hindered the work of the tribunal. Today's ruling is expected to set a precedent in the case of 15 other parties who were also found to have obstructed the tribunal and who are seeking around €40m in costs from the State.

In his ruling this morning, tribunal chairman Judge Alan Mahon said he was refusing Mr Burke's application because of the degree and extent to which the former minister had misled the tribunal. He said it was clear Mr Burke had decided not to co-operate at an early stage, even though this was a legal requirement. Judge Mahon said Mr Burke not only withheld documents, but also lied to the tribunal. He said the extent of the non-co-operation had prolonged the work of the tribunal and Mr Burke was, therefore, responsible for much of his own costs. If the former politician had co-operated, Judge Mahon said, he might have been more favourably disposed towards awarding costs.

Hopefully it'll send a message to anyone else dragging thier feet in the various tribunals.

Mike.

ArthurDent

Ya know I really did try hard to come up with a more reasoned and dignified response to this news........


but

nah nah nah nah nah - just keeps going through my (childish) brain




Roll on the court decision on Liamo's bill!

Sand

This is the sort of news that leaves you grinning. Its increasingly clear that very few of these crooked politicians are going to see the inside of a jail cell - at least with costs like these awarded against them theyre getting their punishment for their smirking contempt of the tribunals and their screwing of Irish taxpayers.

Victor

Of course this is until he appeals it to the High Court and then to the Supreme Court .....

Of course, has he been billed for wasting other people's time?

mike65

Victor wrote:

has he been billed for wasting other people's time?

No, but it was made clear he could be yet.

Mike.