A consultant anaesthetist at the Coombe Women's Hospital will apply to the High Court on Monday for an injunction to restrain the Minister for Health and Children from proceeding with an inquiry arising from findings of misconduct against her.
Ms Celine Traynor contends alleged complaints against her were "contrived" and claims she is the victim of a campaign of bullying and harassment.
Mr Justice Ó Caoimh yesterday gave Mr Roddy Horan, for Ms Traynor, of Orwell Park, Rathgar, Dublin, leave to serve short notice on the Minister of the injunction application.
Mr Horan said Ms Traynor had been suspended from her post since June last year and had brought legal proceedings against the Coombe Hospital's secretary and general manager, Mr John Ryan.
Mr Horan said that Mr Ryan had made a determination on December 6th last in which he purported to find Ms Traynor guilty of misconduct. This followed an interview with Ms Traynor in which Mr Ryan queried her about a series of reports prepared by the hospital and which were consistently referred to as "complaints".
Mr Ryan had requested the Minister to appoint a committee of inquiry which would have the power to terminate Ms Traynor's post at the hospital. Ms Traynor was challenging Mr Ryan's findings in court proceedings yet to be heard and the High Court had accepted those proceedings warranted an early trial. A date would be sought on February 25th next.
Despite the Minister being fully aware of Ms Traynor's litigation, the had said he was proceeding to set up the committee of inquiry, counsel complained.