Orders issued by the planning tribunal chairman directing Bank of Ireland to produce documents relating to bank accounts held by a building company, its director and his wife, were "oppressive and prejudicial", the High Court was told yesterday.
Among the documents sought were details of a joint account held by Mr Michael Bailey and his wife, Teresa, through which the Bailey household was run over some 20 years, the court was told.
In an affidavit, Mr Michael Bailey said the orders for discovery and production of the various accounts were made without notice to Bovale, himself or his wife. The orders were oppressive and prejudicial and an invasion of privacy in that they required the applicants to disclose commercially sensitive information and private matters relating to the running of their family finances.
The orders were issued by the chairman of the planning tribunal, Mr Justice Flood, in respect of accounts held by Bovale Developments Ltd, of Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin, and by Mr Bailey, a company director, and his wife, Teresa, of Killamonan House, The Ward, Co Dublin. The tribunal is investigating a number of matters concerning Mr Bailey and his companies.
A challenge by Bovale and the Baileys to the tribunal chairman's orders, made on February 26th and March 12th last, opened before Mr Justice Geoghegan yesterday.