Job loss fears as Forum Connemara returns to High Court

Galway Bay fm newsroom – Issues relating to Forum Connemara which has its head offices in Letterfrack are back before the Appeals Court in Dublin today.
The outcome of these Court proceedings could – potentially – mean an end to up to 9 jobs in Forum within a fortnight.
Forum Connemara lost out in its Court battle with Galway County Council last August.
The issues centred round the administration of what is called the SICAP programme in County Galway in the coming years; this is a 5 year EU assisted community development process. The Court decision effectively ruled Forum out of contention in Connemara and elsewhere.
Forum are lodging an appeal and one of todays High Court processes will be to set deadlines for evidence and a date for the appeal hearing.
A High Court stay…or order …has been in operation since Forum lost the case last August which means that the Department of the Environment must keep providing the money that maintains employment in Forum. This also comes up in the High Court today.
If the order was ended by the Court, it would mean that up to 9 jobs – that’s most of the permanent staff – would be laid off with immediate effect.