A WOMAN who fell on her way into a parish hall to vote in a referendum has lost her High Court action for damages over the incident.

Anne Cassidy (68), Crickstown, Ratoath, Co Meath, sued Fr Philip Gaffney, the parish priest of Curraha, Ashbourne, Co Meath; Mary O’Malley, returning officer for East Meath in the referendum; and the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government as the owner/occupier of the hall on the day of the accident.

The High Court was told Mrs Cassidy, a housewife, went with her husband Patrick to Curraha parochial hall on October 2nd, 2009, to vote in the second Lisbon referendum.

At the entrance door, she tripped and fell when her toe caught on a raised weather strip at the step into the hall, the court heard.

Mrs Cassidy claimed she suffered injuries and the defendants were negligent in … Read More »

A COUNCIL worker who had to give up deep sea fishing and playing the bagpipes after he tripped over an electrical cable while walking on a footpath carrying a ladder is to get some €257,000 damages following a High Court ruling yesterday.

Ms Justice Mary Irvine reduced the total €342,799 award by one-quarter to just over €257,000 after finding there was contributory negligence to that extent on the part of Liam Murray.

Mr Murray (55), Cleggan Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin, had sued the ESB as a result of the accident at Beach Road, Sandymount, Dublin, on August 17th, 2009.

He claimed he was walking along the road when he fell on electrical cabling emerging from under the path at the base of a street lamp. He claimed the ESB was negligent in allowing electrical cable to be on the pathway.

As a result of injuries … Read More »