President Mary McAleese's protocol officer has brought a new High Court action challenging the conduct and outcome of an internal disciplinary investigation into allegations against her.
Bridget Conway has claimed other staff had testified to a "personal vendetta" against her and likened the office of the secretary to the President to "a viper's nest".
Mr Justice Michael Peart yesterday made an order restraining publication of the investigator's decisions pending the determination of the challenge by Ms Conway.
Ms Conway, Celbridge, Co Kildare, in a second set of proceedings, secured leave to seek orders quashing last week's decision of the disciplinary investigation carried out last year by a senior civil servant.
Ms Conway also secured leave to seek a declaration that the determination of senior civil servant Gerry Moloney regarding the disciplinary investigation is oppressive, arbitrary, unreasonable, an abuse of power and made in bad faith.
Mr Justice Peart also granted an interim injunction restraining utilisation or dissemination or publication of the determination of the disciplinary investigation in any form.