Patients are dying because of the continued suspension without pay of a surgeon from Cavan General Hospital, it was claimed in the High Court yesterday.
Mr Peter Finlay SC, for Dr William Joyce, said the people of Cavan want the surgeon back at work. Mr Finlay opposed as a "publicity stunt" an application by the Minister for Health for the High Court to lift an interlocutory injunction restraining a ministerial-appointed committee from resuming its inquiry into the conduct of Dr Joyce. The court had granted the injunction last July.
In seeking the substitution, Mr James Connolly SC, for the Minister, said the committee was prepared to give an undertaking in the same terms as the injunction and there was, therefore, no need for the injunction. The committee would undertake not to hold any hearings between now and the date of the full hearing of the proceedings brought by Dr Joyce against the committee.
The court had granted the injunction after finding that complaints by Dr Joyce about the committee chairman, Mr Andrew Bradley SC, were proven.
These included complaints that Mr Bradley "smelt of alcohol" at meetings and that he had gone missing for three days.
Mr Justice O'Neill said Mr Connolly's application was "extraordinary" and he saw no merit in it.
He had never heard of such an application.
He said it was obvious the full hearing should commence as soon as possible.
The continuation of Dr Joyce's suspension gave the matter "a compelling urgency".