Fine Gael announced today it will bring court proceedings against the Government to force it to move the writ for the Waterford and Dublin South byelections.
The Waterford seat has been vacant since former Fianna Fáil minister Martin Cullen stepped down for health reasons in March.
Fine Gael Dublin TD George Lee resigned from the Dáil in February.
An Opposition motion to move the writs for the outstanding byelections was voted down by the Government in the Dáil in September.
Dublin South constituency chairman Michael Van Turnhout today gave formal notice of his intention to bring proceedings against the Government for failing to support the moving of the writ.
Fine Gael Senator Paudie Coffey, who is the party’s byelection candidate in Waterford, claimed the Government was “perpetrating a continuing constitutional wrong in its failure to move the writ”.
Mr Coffey said the Government is “motivated only by their determination to evade the electorate and their actions have forced me to bring these proceedings”.
The High Court yesterday upheld a challenge by Sinn Féin Senator Pierse Doherty to the Government’s refusal to move a writ for the Donegal South East byelection. He argued that the delay amounted to a breach of his constitutional rights.
The Government said it would appeal the High Court decision to the Supreme Court.
Mr Coffey said the Government said there was no basis for such an appeal. “The Government is trying to misuse the courts at taxpayers’ expense and make what can only be described as a frivolous, vexatious and unnecessary application to the Supreme Court,” he said.