A school at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland in Clonskeagh, Dublin, has closed as part of a dispute over control of the centre’s operations, the High Court heard.
Mr Justice Brian Cregan was also told Clonskeagh is the primary place for holding a major annual Muslim festival, Eid al-Adha, which falls on Friday, but is now closed. The mosque at the centre had also closed, the court previously heard.
The dispute arises out of the alleged unlawful appointment of new directors to the centre’s operating company, the Al Maktoum Foundation CLG.
Dr Abdel Basset Elsayed, a Co Meath-based medical consultant, says he has been a director of the foundation company since 2012. He claims the purported appointments of four new directors to the board are invalid and not in accordance with the company’s constitution.
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He sought orders from the court requiring the Companies Registration Office to rectify its register by removing the allegedly unlawfully appointed members and restraining the new directors from performing any duties or representing themselves as directors of the company.
Barrister Niall Ó hUiginn, for the new directors, who are notice parties in the case, on Wednesday said his clients dispute the claims and contend Dr Elsayed has no legal standing to bring the case as he has been removed as a director.
Counsel said Dr Elsayed was purporting to give directions on behalf of the Al Maktoum Foundation. His clients will say Dr Elsayed’s removal from his directorship was in accordance with the company’s constitution.
Counsel said he did not wish to get into the merits of the case at this stage as his side needed time to put in a replying affidavit to Dr Elsayed’s claims.
Barrister Joseph Sallabi, who told the court he has a contract as in-house counsel with the Al Maktoum Foundation, objected to a three-week adjournment.
His side argue a corporate body in Dubai is appointing the directors and they are acting for the company, counsel said. There were 27 teachers in the Clonskeagh school who had collectively resigned and the school has closed.
Mr Ó hUiginn objected to Mr Sallabi making claims that had not been put on affidavit and were not part of any orders sought.
Mr Justice Cregan told Mr Sallabi he would have to put his new claims on affidavit, and that he would also give the notice parties time to put their position on affidavit.
It was an “unfortunate situation”, he said, and Mr Sallabi, if he wanted the school and mosque to be reopened, would have to bring a separate application in that respect.
He adjourned the matter to later this month.
