According to a ruling from the Electoral Commission, an attempt by James Reynolds, deputy leader of the rightist National Party, to depose party leader Justin Barrett was attended by him alone. The revelation also highlights that Mr. Reynolds only notified Mr. Barrett of the gathering by email, sent shortly before midnight on the preceding day. An amended timing for the meeting, moved from 7pm to 2pm, was communicated in a follow-up email sent the following day.
Mr. Barrett claimed the correspondence had been sent to an email account seldom checked by him, hence he did not receive the email. Both Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Barrett, who hold opposing views on immigration and right-wing agendas, are the sole members of the party’s national directorate.
Their disagreement escalated in July 2023 and led to both individuals claiming to have expelled each other from the party. Subsequently, both of them applied separately to the Electoral Commission, each seeking to remove the other from the Policy Parties Register as an authorised representative. Art O’Leary, the CEO of An Coimisiún Toghcháin (the Electoral Commission), dismissed their applications and decided to retain both men on the register as authorised representatives.
Mr. Reynolds later assumed the leadership of the National Party and participated in local and European election campaigns. Conversely, Mr. Barrett established a new rightist party named Clann Éireann. On Thursday, the Electoral Commission, chaired by Ms. Justice Marie Baker, refused an appeal by Mr. Reynolds to have Mr. Barrett’s name removed from the National Party’s list of authorised representatives. Ms. Justice Baker’s written decision acknowledged the significant disputes concerning evidence and the party’s constitutional interpretations between the two men.
The party’s regulatory board mandated that a minimum of 50% of its membership needed to be present for a meeting to achieve quorum. Nevertheless, Mr Reynolds took advantage of the clause of “50% or more” to argue the meeting, only attended by him and another board member, was indeed quorate.
Mr Reynolds made arrangements for the meeting via email, notifying Mr Barrett late night on July 13th, 2023, about the planned board meeting in a stipulated venue at 7pm the next day. The meeting was unexpectedly rescheduled to 2pm the same day, with a notice sent in the morning of the following day.
Despite being the sole attendant, Mr Reynolds proceeded with the meeting aimed at removing Mr Barrett from the national directorate. The notice sent to Mr Barrett neglected to include details about the meeting agenda or any explicit motion suggesting Mr Barrett’s removal.
While the commission acknowledged the party’s tendency towards casual arrangements and accepted that under certain circumstances, short notice could be deemed acceptable, it deemed the notice sent to Mr Barrett as unfair in this case. It was of great importance considering it involved the removal of Mr Barrett from his positions as president and party officer, changes in the party’s constitution, expunging Mr Barrett’s name from the party register, and changing the party’s registered address.
Mr Reynolds didn’t show proof that he ensured Mr Barrett was made aware of the rescheduled earlier meeting time. The commission consequently ruled that the outcomes of the July 14th meeting were illegitimate, and Mr Barrett was wrongfully removed as an officer and party president.