This case concerned a claim for a number of reliefs including a declaration in relation to the plaintiff’s entitlement to a continuing registration card for work purposes. The defendant was required, by regulation, to issue registration cards in recognition of professional qualifications. The plaintiff had completed the requisite training to obtain same. However, the registration card issued to the plaintiff was limited in time to a five-year period and was only renewable if he engaged in at least six blasting operations within the previous two years. The plaintiff, therefore, argued that the defendant did not have an entitlement to limit the duration of the card and alleged that the card was simply an acknowledgement of a qualification and was not a mechanism for ongoing supervision of card holders.

The Court found that the requirement for photographic identification under the regulations inherently allowed the defendant to limit the duration of the identification card. However, it found that this does not enable the defendant to refuse to renew a card on its expiry where an updated photograph is furnished. The Court also held that the registration card is not an acknowledgement of current competence to carry out particular work - instead, it is an acknowledgement of a qualification. Accordingly, a declaration was made to this effect.

http://www.courts.ie/Judgments.nsf/09859e7a3f34669680256ef3004a27de/46dc90ecf47d439380258110003e756e?OpenDocument