Fine Gael trustees discuss John Perry allegations

Fine Gael trustees met last night to discuss allegations by former TD John Perry about a case taken against the party.

Mr Perry has alleged the party put a witness under pressure not to give evidence in a High Court challenge which he took against Fine Gael.

The former Sligo-Leitrim TD had taken and won a court case against the party and its handling of a selection convention in the constituency when he failed to win a nomination.

However, he was later added to the ticket after successfully challenging the case.

Mr Perry and the witness have now both written to Fine Gael outlining their concerns over the party’s actions in the lead-up to the High Court challenge.

The two pieces of correspondence were considered by the trustees at a meeting in the party’s headquarters last night.

Trustees

The trustees include senior counsel Frank Callinan and Ian Brennan; Nama board member Mari Hurley; partner in the law firm Gore and Grimes Mary Hayes; former TD for Clare Madeleine Taylor-Quinn; John McHugh, a dentist in Castlebar; Jerry Carey, a businessman from Little Island in Cork; and MEP Deirdre Clune.

In a letter sent to chairman of the party Tom Curran, Mr Perry said a witness was pressurised not to attend the court hearing despite being subpoenaed.