Drink-drive GP failed to attend booze re-education
Attempt to falsify the will
A GP and former GAA team doctor with convictions for drink driving and forging a €1.9million will has failed to attend a court-ordered alcohol awareness programme.
Dr James Cassidy, 66, failed to comply with conditions attached to him remaining registered with the Medical Council, a disciplinary inquiry heard yesterday.
The conditions were imposed following a 2016 fitness-to-practice inquiry and were confirmed by the High Court.
The former Tyrone GAA doctor did not bring his Continued Professional Development obligations up to date, and failed to meet with a mentor to discuss his ongoing progress regarding the alcohol awareness programme. The inquiry heard yesterday that the Medical Council received correspondence from Dr Cassidy in the autumn of 2016, in which he stated he had completed an alcohol awareness programme, and that he had met with his designated mentor, a Dr David Connelly.
But Dr Connelly, a former Louth GAA team doctor, said yesterday he had never met with Dr Cassidy – whom he knew as ‘Séamus’ – in relation to this matter.
Dr Cassidy, who had a long-standing GP practice in Dundalk, Co. Louth, was not present at the Medical Council inquiry at the council’s headquarters in Dublin yesterday.
It is understood that he closed his surgery in Dundalk in January 2017.
The three conditions attached to the continuation of his registration with the Medical Council came on foot of a dramatic fitness-to-practice inquiry that took place in March 2016.
At that time, the inquiry found Dr Cassidy guilty of professional misconduct, and the conditions were then confirmed by a High Court order in May 2016.
Following that inquiry, Mr Cassidy was involved in a fracas with a photographer outside the Medical Council premises.
Yesterday, Frank Beatty, BL, representing the chief executive of the Medical Council, outlined the proceedings from the previous inquiry. He said at the 2016, Dr Cassidy faced allegations relating to a conviction in Northern Ireland.
These allegations related to a 2014 court case at the Crown Court in Newry, in which Dr Cassidy was convicted of conspiring with others to attempt to falsify the will of Catherine Haughey, and a property sale agreement.
The previous inquiry heard that South Armagh publican Ms Haughey, who was a widow and childless, died in 2004 at the age of 81.
Concerns about her €1.9million will were raised shortly after her death.
He received a two-year suspended sentence in the case.
Dr Cassidy also had a previous conviction in Northern Ireland relating to a drink driving charge, Mr Beatty said yesterday.
At the previous inquiry, Dr Cassidy said that in May 2009, he applied for registration to the Medical Council of Ireland (in the Republic).
However, he admitted that he failed to tell the Medical Council about the conviction related to drink driving in the North.
He said that he previously struggled with a problem with alcohol.
‘I drank too much and too regular,’ said Dr Cassidy, adding that he now had the problem under control.
At the time, Dr Cassidy pleaded with the inquiry committee to let him remain on the Medical Council’s Register of Medical Practitioners, saying he had a number of longterm patients who trusted and depended on him.
The Medical Council later attached a number of conditions to the retention of his name on the register.
These included the completion of an alcohol awareness programme, being up to date with his CPD requirements, and regularly meeting a designated mentor for two years to provide support and help ensure compliance.
These conditions were confirmed by a High Court order on May 30, 2016 and perfected on June 1, 2016.
The inquiry committee yesterday found that Dr Cassidy had failed to comply with the three conditions attached to the retention of him on the register, and was therefore in breach of the conditions.
Sanctions will be determined by the Medical Council at a later date.