Dublin councillors bring High Court challenge to rename Herzog Park
Six Dublin City Council councillors, led by People Before Profit Cllr Conor Reddy, launched a judicial review in the High Court on 13 July 2026 against the Minister for Housing over the failure to introduce regulations under Part 18 of the Local Government Act 2001. The missing regulations blocked two renaming proposals that had been deferred in December 2025: removing the name of former Israeli president Chaim Herzog from Herzog Park in Rathgar, and renaming Diamond Park in Dublin 1 as Terence Wheelock Memorial Diamond Park in honour of a man who died in 2005 after being found unresponsive in a cell at Store Street Garda Station. The other five applicants are Independent councillors Cieran Perry, Nial Ring and Vincent Jackson, and Sinn Féin councillors Ciarán Ó Meachair and Mícheál Mac Donncha. The ex parte application was adjourned to October to allow the State to file an opposition.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court13 Jul
2 reports - Convicted13 Jul
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Six Dublin City Council councillors launched a judicial review in the High Court against the Minister for Housing over the failure to introduce Part 18 regulations under the Local Government Act 2001.
- The missing regulations blocked two renaming proposals: removing Chaim Herzog's name from Herzog Park in Rathgar and renaming Diamond Park in Dublin 1 as Terence Wheelock Memorial Diamond Park.
- Where
- Herzog Park is in Rathgar, south Dublin, and Diamond Park is in Dublin 1.
- When
- Both renaming proposals were deferred in December 2025 after legal issues were identified, and the High Court action was launched on 13 July 2026.
- In court
- The ex parte application was adjourned to October to allow the State to oppose.
- Other details
- Cllr Conor Reddy of People Before Profit is the lead applicant, alongside Independent councillors Cieran Perry, Nial Ring and Vincent Jackson, and Sinn Féin councillors Ciarán Ó Meachair and Mícheál Mac Donncha.
- Chaim Herzog was born in Belfast in 1918, raised in Dublin, and served as Israeli president from 1983 to 1993.
- Terence Wheelock died in 2005 after being found unresponsive in a cell at Store Street Garda Station hours after arrest, went into a coma, and was taken to the Mater hospital.
- Part 18 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides a process for councils to rename public places; the relevant provisions commenced in 2019 but regulations for public ballots have not been introduced.
- Investigation
- A 2010 GSOC investigation concluded there was no credible evidence Wheelock was subjected to mistreatment in custody.
29 statements extracted from the articles
- whatDublin City Council has been blocked from progressing two major renaming proposals (dublinlive.ie)
- whatOne proposal is to rename Diamond Park in Dublin 1 as Terence Wheelock Memorial Diamond Park (dublinlive.ie)
- whatTerence Wheelock died in 2005 after falling into a coma from injuries sustained at Store Street Garda Station (dublinlive.ie)
- whatThe woman is profoundly deaf and suffers from severe language deprivation (irishtimes.com)
- whatShe was not taught Irish Sign Language until later in her childhood (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe trial sat for 131 days, making it the longest-running criminal trial in the history of the State (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe jury deliberated for two weeks (irishtimes.com)
- whatOne convicted brother is on the run with no information as to his whereabouts (irishtimes.com)
- whatA warrant was issued for his arrest when he failed to appear in court for the remainder of the verdicts (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe complainant was aged between 15 and 26 during the abuse (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe jury was unable to agree on verdicts for two other uncles and their rape charges were withdrawn by the DPP (irishtimes.com)
- whatCharges against a fourth brother aged 34 were withdrawn during the trial (irishtimes.com)
- whatPsychological reports have been ordered for two of the accused but will not be ready until October (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe councillors also want to rename Diamond Park in Dublin 1 as Terence Wheelock Memorial Diamond Park (irishtimes.com)
- whatTerence Wheelock died in 2005 after being found unresponsive in a garda cell (irishtimes.com)
- whatWheelock was found unresponsive in his cell hours after arrest, went into a coma, and was taken to the Mater hospital (irishtimes.com)
- whereHerzog Park is located in Rathgar, south Dublin (irishtimes.com)
- whereTerence Wheelock was placed in a cell in Store Street Garda station (irishtimes.com)
- whenBoth proposals came before Dublin City Council in December 2025 and were deferred after legal issues were identified (dublinlive.ie)
- whenThe abuse took place over an 11-year period between 2003 and 2014 (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA 2010 GSOC investigation concluded there was no credible evidence Wheelock was subjected to mistreatment in custody (irishtimes.com)
- courtA legal team representing six DCC councillors arrived in the High Court to pursue a judicial review against the Minister for Housing (dublinlive.ie)
- courtSentencing for the three present convicted men is set for 19 October (irishtimes.com)
- courtCllr Conor Reddy of People Before Profit is the lead applicant seeking judicial review (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe case concerns Part 18 of the Local Government Act 2001, which provides a process for councils to rename public places (dublinlive.ie)
- otherThe relevant provisions were commenced in 2019 but regulations for public ballots have still not been introduced (dublinlive.ie)
- otherChaim Herzog was Belfast-born and served as Israeli president from 1983 to 1993 (dublinlive.ie)
- otherChaim Herzog was born in Belfast in 1918 and raised in Dublin (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe relevant section of the Local Government Act commenced in 2019 but regulations for local ballots have not been introduced (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 13 Jul2026Dublin councillors bring High Court challenge against State in bid to rename Herzog Park
First report of the High Court judicial review; ex parte application adjourned to October to allow the State to oppose.
victim, Conor Reddy, male, irish (judged from name)Conor Reddyvictim, Terence Wheelock, male, irish (judged from name)Terence Wheelock - 13 Jul2026One of four family members convicted in sex abuse trial disappears, court told
Reports that convicted brother Accused C (35) is on the run after breaking bail conditions, with a warrant issued for his arrest. Sentencing for the three present convicted men is set for 19 October. The trial sat for 131 days, making it the longest-running criminal trial in the history of the State. The jury was unable to agree on verdicts for two other uncles, whose rape charges were withdrawn by the DPP.
victim, femaleconvicted, 49, maleconvicted, 35, maleconvicted, 33, maleconvicted, 33, maleaccused, maleaccused, maleaccused, 34, male - 13 Jul2026High Court action launched over renaming rules that blocked Herzog Park
First report of the judicial review being launched in the High Court by six DCC councillors challenging the Minister for Housing's failure to introduce Part 18 regulations under the Local Government Act 2001.
victim, Reddy, irish (judged from name)Reddyvictim, Cieran Perry, irish (judged from name)Cieran Perryvictim, Nial Ring, irish (judged from name)Nial Ringvictim, Vincent Jackson, irish (judged from name)Vincent Jacksonvictim, Ciarán Ó Meachair, irish (judged from name)Ciarán Ó Meachairvictim, Mícheál Mac Donncha, irish (judged from name)Mícheál Mac Donnchasuspectvictim, Terence Wheelock, irish (judged from name)Terence Wheelockvictim, Chaim Herzog, non-irish (judged from name)Chaim Herzog