BACKGROUND
The High Court rejected Ms Kerins' challenge to her
treatment before the PAC hearings during the course of its
examination of State funding to the Rehab Group in 2014. She
appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court. Ms Kerins voluntarily
attended the first hearing in February 2014 and alleged that the
treatment of her at that hearing resulted in shock, stress and
anxiety requiring hospitalization, and an attempt to take her own
life.
The PAC denied her claims and argued that it was entitled to
scrutinise how public monies are spent, given that Rehab companies
were in receipt of approximately €83 million of public monies
annually, and that Ms Kerins had received a €240,000 salary.
The High Court had said that, due to the separation of powers, the
courts could not intervene in how hearings were conducted before
the PAC.
