Elite school threatened legal action over state funds for hockey pitch

Wesley College warned it would ‘seek redress’ through the courts

A fee-paying school threatened Minister for Transport Shane Ross’s officials with legal action after it was refused a €150,000 taxpayer’s grant for a hockey pitch.

Wesley College, which is located in Ross’s Dublin Rathdown constituency, was turned down by officials on the grounds that it was a “private school” and did not qualify for sports capital grants.

At the time, Ross signed off on the decisions made by his officials, with his special ...