Blehein v Minster for Health and Children
Jurisdiction | Ireland |
Judge | Ms. Justice Mary Laffoy |
Judgment Date | 24 August 2010 |
Neutral Citation | [2010] IEHC 329 |
Court | High Court |
Docket Number | [2002 No. 9652 P] |
Date | 24 August 2010 |
[2010] IEHC 329
THE HIGH COURT
BETWEEN
AND
MENTAL TREATMENT ACT 1945 S260
BLEHEIN v MIN FOR HEALTH & ORS 2004 3 IR 610 2004/5/936 2004 IEHC 374
CONSTITUTION ART 6
CONSTITUTION ART 34
BLEHEIN v MIN FOR HEALTH & ORS 2009 1 IR 275 2008/3/594 2008 IESC 40
MENTAL HEALTH ACT 2001 S73
MENTAL TREATMENT ACT 1945 S260(1)
MENTAL TREATMENT ACT 1945 S185
MENTAL TREATMENT ACT 1945 S186
BLEHEIN v MIN FOR HEALTH & ORS UNREP LAFFOY 16.3.2009 2009/5/1163 2009 IEHC 182
CONSTITUTION ART 40
CONSTITUTION ART 40.3
BLEHEIN v ST JOHN OF GOD HOSPITAL UNREP KELLY 3.11.1997 (EX TEMPORE)
BLEHEIN v ST JOHN OF GOD HOSPITAL UNREP SUPREME 20.5.1998 1999/3/389
BLEHEIN v MURPHY & ORS UNREP GEOGHEGAN 2.7.1999 1999/3/392
BLEHEIN v MURPHY & ORS 2000 3 IR 359 2000/2/626
BLEHEIN v MURPHY & ORS 2000 2 IR 231 2000 2 ILRM 481 2000/2/599
BLEHEIN v ST JOHN OF GOD HOSPITAL UNREP O'SULLIVAN 6.7.2000 2000/2/612
BLEHEIN v ST JOHN OF GOD HOSPITAL UNREP SUPREME 31.5.2002 2002/4/681
HEANEY & MCGUINNESS v IRELAND & AG 1994 3 IR 593 1994 2 ILRM 420 1994/10/3029B
MENTAL HEALTH ACT 2001 S73(1)
MENTAL HEALTH ACT 2001 S73(2)
MENTAL HEALTH ACT 2001 S73(3)
MENTAL TREATMENT ACT 1945 S260(2)
MENTAL TREATMENT ACT 1945 S260(3)
MURPHY v AG 1982 IR 241
AN BLASCAOD MOR TEORANTA & ORS v CMRS OF PUBLIC WORKS IN IRELAND & ORS (NO 4) 2000 3 IR 565 2001 1 ILRM 423 2000/2/558
REDMOND v MIN FOR ENVIRONMENT & ORS (NO 2) 2006 3 IR 1 2004/44/10023 2004 IEHC 24
K (D) v JUDGE CROWLEY & ORS UNREP ABBOTT 29.7.2005 2006/30/6473 2005 IEHC 375
KEATING v JUDGE CROWLEY & ORS UNREP SUPREME 12.5.2010 2010 IESC 29
K (D) v JUDGE CROWLEY & ORS 2002 2 IR 744 2001/15/4309
MCDONNELL v IRELAND & ORS 1998 1 IR 134
CONSTITUTION ART 41.3
CONSTITUTION ART 40.1
INCOME TAX ACT 1967
HAUGHEY, IN RE 1971 IR 217
AN BLASCAOD MOR NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK ACT 1989
AN BLASCAOD MOR TEORANTA & ORS v CMRS OF PUBLIC WORKS IN IRELAND & ORS (NO 3) 2000 1 IR 6 2000 1 ILRM 401 1999/1/72
MESKELL v CORAS IOMPAIR EIREANN 1973 IR 121
PINE VALLEY DEVELOPMENTS LTD & ORS v MIN FOR ENVIRONMENT & ORS 1987 IR 23 1987 ILRM 747
BYRNE v IRELAND & AG 1972 IR 241
HOGAN & WHYTE JM KELLY: THE IRISH CONSTITUTION 4ED 2003 PARA 4.2.90
HOGAN & WHYTE JM KELLY: THE IRISH CONSTITUTION 4ED 2003 PARA 8.2.73
HOGAN & WHYTE JM KELLY: THE IRISH CONSTITUTION 4ED 2003 PARA 8.2.74
ELECTORAL ACT 1992
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS ACT 1997
REDMOND v MIN FOR ENVIRONMENT & ORS 2001 4 IR 61 2001/21/5654
D (T) & ORS v MIN FOR EDUCATION & ORS 2001 4 IR 259 2001/5/1050
KING & ORS v MIN FOR ENVIRONMENT & ORS (NO 2) 2007 1 IR 296 2006/32/6923 2006 IESC 61
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ACT 1996 S4(3)
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ACT 1996 S4(1)
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ACT 1996 S4(2)
OFFENCES AGAINST THE STATE ACT 1939 S34
COX v IRELAND & ORS 1992 2 IR 503
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS 1957 S11(2)
CONSTITUTION ART 34.4
CLARKE, IN RE 1950 IR 235
CROKE v SMITH & ORS (NO 2) 1998 1 IR 101 1996/9/2829
A v GOVERNOR OF ARBOUR HILL PRISON 2006 4 IR 88
O'DOWD v NORTH WESTERN HEALTH BOARD 1983 ILRM 186
MURPHY v GREENE 1990 2 IR 566 1991 ILRM 404 1991 ILT 146 1990/10/2793
HOGAN & WHYTE JM KELLY: THE IRISH CONSTITUTION 4ED 2003 PARA 8.2.69
KEARNEY v MIN FOR JUSTICE & ORS 1986 IR 116 1987 ILRM 52 1986/3/1017
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS (AMDT) ACT 1991 S3(1)
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
Jurisdiction
Legislation - Personal rights - Damages - Unconstitutionality of Act - Liability of State - Transcendent considerations - Common good - Importance of concrete factual context - Statute of limitations - Action re breach of personal constitutional rights - Access to courts - Jurisdiction of courts to order redress against State for breach of constitutional rights where Act found to be unconstitutional - Difficulties re âÇÿunscrambling the egg' of acts done under legislation later found to be unconstitutional - Factors re imposing liability upon State - Constitutional invalidity of s 260 Mental Treatment Act 1945 - Leave of High Court required to bring proceedings - Whether Plaintiff would have succeeded in actions if had been granted leave to bring proceedings under s 260 - Blehein v Minister for Health [2004] IEHC 374, [2008] IESC 40, [2004] 3 IR 610, [2009] 1 IR 275, Heaney v Ireland [1994] 3 IR 593, Murphy v Attorney General [1982] IR 241, An Blascaod Mór Teo v Commissioners of Public Works (No 4) [2000] 3 IR 565, Redmond v Minister for Environment (No 2) [2004] IEHC 24, [2006] 3 IR 1, DK v Crowley [2002] 2 IR 74, McDonnell v Ireland [1998] 1 IR 134, Re Haughey [1971] IR 217, An Blascaod Mór Teo v Commissioners of Public Works (No 3) [2000] 1 IR 6, Meskell v Coras Iompair Éireann [1973] IR 121, Pine Valley Developments Ltd v Minister for Environment [1987] IR 23, Byrne v Ireland [1972] IR 241, Redmond v Minister for Environment (No 1) [2001] 4 IR 61, TD v Minister for Education [2001] 4 IR 259, King v Minister for Environment [2006] IESC 61, [2007] 1 IR 296, Cox v Ireland [1992] IR 53, Re Philip Clarke [1950] IR 235, Croke v Smith (No 2) [1998] 1 IR 101, A v Governor of Arbour Hill Prison [2006] IESC 45, [2006] 4 IR 88, O'Dowd v North Western Health Board [1983] ILRM 186, Murphy v Green [1990] 2 IR 566, Blehein v Murphy (No 2) [2000] 3 IR 359, Blehein v Murphy [2000] 2 IR 231, [2000] 2 ILRM 481, and Kearney v Minister for Justice [1986] IR 116 considered; Keating v Crowley [2010] IESC 29, (Unrep, SC, 12/5/2010) applied - Mental Treatment Act 1945 s 260 [Act repealed by Mental Health Act 2001] - Mental Health Act 2001, s 73 - Statute of Limitations 1957 (No 6 ), s 11 (2), as amended by Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Act 1991, (No 18), s 3 - Constitution of Ireland 1937, arts 6, 34, and 40 - Determination postponed pending consideration of application of Statute of Limitations (2002/9652P - Laffoy J - 24/8/2010) [2010] IEHC 329
Blehein v Minister for Health and Children, Ireland and Attorney General
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
Personal rights
Constitutional law - Right to redress - Statute - Invalidity - Right to damages for breach of constitutional rights - Unconstitutionality of legislation - Impact upon citizen of invalidity of legislation - Whether plaintiff entitled to damages for alleged breach of constitutional rights - Factors to consider - Whether transcendent considerations applicable regarding award of redress for alleged breach of constitutional rights - Whether claim statute-barred - Importance of bed of facts - Whether matter could be determined in absence of concrete factual matrix - Whether preferable to decide Statute of Limitations point prior to availability of redress point - A v Governor of Arbour Hill Prison [2006] IESC 45, [2006] 4 IR 88; An Blascaod Mór Teo v Commissioners of Public Works (No 3) [2000] 1 I.R. 6; An Blascaod Mór Teo v Commissioners of Public Works (No 4) [2000] 3 I.R. 565; Blehein v Minister for Health [2004] IEHC 374, [2004] 3 I.R. 610; Blehein v Minister for Health [2008] IESC 40, [2009] 1 IR 275; Blehein v Minister for Health [2009] IEHC 182, (Unrep, Laffoy J, 16/3/2009); Blehein v Murphy [2000] 2 I.R. 231; Blehein v Murphy (No 2) [2000] 3 IR 359; Blehein v St. John of God Hospital (Unrep, O'Sullivan J, 6/7/2000); Blehein v St. John of God Hospital (Unrep, SC, 31/5/2002); Byrne v Ireland [1972] IR 241; In re Philip Clarke [1950] IR 235; Cox v Ireland [1992] IR 503; Croke v Smith (No 2) [1998] 1 IR 101; TD v Minister for Education [2001] 4 IR 259; DK v Crowley [2002] 2 IR 74; DK v Crowley [2005] IEHC 375, (Unrep, Abbott J, 29/7/2005); In re Haughey [1971] IR 217; Heaney v Ireland [1994] 3 IR 593; Kearney v Minister for Justice [1986] IR 116; Keating v Crowley [2010] IESC 29, [2010] 3 IR 648; King v Minister for Environment (No 2) [2006] IESC 61, [2007] 1 IR 296; McDonnell v Ireland [1998] 1 IR 134; Meskell v Coras Iompair Éireann [1973] IR 121; Murphy v Attorney General [1982] IR 241; Murphy v Greene [1990] 2 IR 566; O'Dowd v North Western Health Board [1983] ILRM 186; Pine Valley Developments Ltd v Minister for the Environment [1987] IR 23; Redmond v Minister for the Environment [2001] 4 IR 61 and Redmond v Minister for the Environment (No 2) [2006] IEHC 24, [2006] 3 IR 1 considered - Mental Treatment Act 1945 (No 19), s 260 - Constitution of Ireland 1937, Articles 6, 34, and 40 - Finding that application of Statute of Limitations should be addressed first (2002/9652P - Laffoy J - 24/8/2010) [2010] IEHC 329
Blehein v Minister for Health
Facts section 260(1) of the Mental Health Treatment Act 1945 provides, inter alia, that "No civil proceedings shall be instituted in respect of an act purporting to have been done in pursuance of this Act save by leave of the High Court and such leave shall not be granted unless the High Court is satisfied that there are substantial grounds for contending that the person against whom the proceedings are to be brought acted in bad faith or without reasonable care." It had been previously found by the Superior Courts that section 260 of the Act of 1945 was unconstitutional and had infringed the plaintiff's personal constitutional rights. He had previously been prevented from bringing separate litigation in relation to his involuntary detention under the Act of 1945 as a result of the application of section 260. It had been agreed between the parties therein that all matters other than the validity of section 260, including as to any potential entitlement to damages therefor that the plaintiff may have, should be left over. He then re-entered the matter alleging, inter alia, that that breach as so found had caused him damage and loss and sought damages for infringement of constitutional rights, for personal injury, loss and damage. He...
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