The Supreme Court found against Professor F. X,. Martin in his attempt to prevent the Dublin Corporation from building civic offices on the Wood Quay site in Dublin.
It was a unanimous decision by the five judges of the Supreme Court to allow Dublin Corporation to go ahead with the building of civic offices on the site at Wood Quay. Work on the site had been put on hold after Justice Gannon in the High Court granted an injunction against Dublin Corporation interfering with the national monument without the consent of the Commissioner of Public Works. Part of the Wood Quay site had been declared a National Monument in July 1978.
The order had been granted to Professor F.X. Martin, Chairman of the Friends of Medieval Dublin. The injunction claimed that the Wood Quay site contained the remains of a Viking settlement and the origins of Dublin city. However, this injunction was discharged by the court stating that the action by F.X. Martin was unsustainable.
The court also awarded the costs of both the High Court and Supreme Court actions against Professor Martin, who may also have to concede damages to the corporation.
