Sinn Fein MP Mr Martin McGuinness has been refused legal aid to pay for his action challenging the legality of the oath of allegiance to Queen Elizabeth. His application had been turned down by the North's legal aid department and an appeal to the legal aid committee was rejected.
A date is due to be set in the High Court in Belfast next Wednesday for the hearing of his application for leave to apply for judicial review.
He is challenging the decision of House of Commons Speaker, Ms Betty Boothroyd, to deny him and party leader Mr Gerry Adams the facilities available to other MPs because they have not taken their seats in parliament. They have both refused to swear the required oath of allegiance. Mr Adams has written to the Speaker requesting a meeting to discuss her ruling. He said the decision to withhold facilities of the six departments of the House was a radical departure from the situation which previously existed.
Mr Adams's letter went on: "As an Irish republican I have very good reasons for refusing to take an oath of allegiance to a British monarch. The refusal to take the oath formed part of our election campaign, as did our intention, if elected, to avail of the normal facilities afforded to all members of the House of Commons.
"I believe therefore that the effect of your statement discriminates against my constituents on the basis of their political beliefs." He said the Speaker had not given any reasons for "these discriminatory and far-reaching changes".