The Supreme Court has heard the State is seeking the legal costs, estimated at some €75,000, of an unsuccessful test action brought against it by a woman who was sexually assaulted by a national school principal when she was a pupil.
Lousie O’Keeffe had argued the State bore vicarious liability for the actions of the principal but that argument was rejected by the Supreme Court last December.
Some 200 other cases were awaiting the outcome of the action.
The Supreme Court reserved judgment on the issue of who should pay the costs of the action.
The State sought its costs against Ms O’Keeffe while her lawyers argued the case was brought in the public interest and she should not have to pay costs.
Ms O’Keeffe (43), of Thoam, Dunmanway, Co Cork, had sued the Minister for Education and State arising from some 20 sexual assaults by school principal Leo Hickey on her at Dunderrow National School, Co Cork, in 1973.
Hickey was jailed for three years in 1998 after pleading guilty to 21 sample charges of indecent assaults on 21 girls.
