Heaney v Minister for Finance

JurisdictionIreland
Judgment Date01 January 1986
Date01 January 1986
CourtHigh Court
(H.C.)
Heaney
and
Minister for Finance

Prize bonds - Whether inflation has rendered the statutory prize bond competition unfair - Whether injustice resulted - Finance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1956 (No. 47), Constitution of Ireland, Arts. 34, 40.1.

The Minister for Finance was sued as the administrator of the Prize Bond lottery established by the Finance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1956. Under the Prize Bond scheme redeemable bonds purchased for £5 participate in periodic draws for prizes. The plaintiff, who sued in person, had purchased a prize bond in 1961. He established that £5 in 1961 was equivalent to £50 at current values, and he asserted that it was unfair that bonds currently purchased for £5 should have the same chance of winning a prize as his longstanding investment. He contended that the scheme in its present form could not be reconciled with the equality provisions of the Constitution, and he invited the court, with reference to its duty under Article 34 to administer justice and to intervene to restrain the Minister from issuing new bonds. Held by Murphy J., dismissing the claim, 1...

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