The army cannot give a signed affidavit to the legal team of a former Air Corps mechanic because of Covid-19 physical distancing rules.
This is despite the fact that Defence Forces lawyers were last ordered to provide the affidavit more than eight months before the first case of the virus was found in Ireland.
A Supreme Court order was made on July 15, 2019 in favour of Gavin Tobin, who is suing the State over his alleged exposure to deadly chemicals on dates during the 1990s.
The army was first ordered by the High Court to provide the information to Mr Tobin’s legal team in 2016.
The information requested is part of the so-called “discovery process” in a court action, where legal teams seek to discover documents they need to pursue their action.
He is among several former mechanics who are suing over alleged exposure to dangerous chemicals and solvents during their employment.