Courts / Ireland / Report

'The biggest slap in the face': ex-airman says he was denied retirement ceremony for making protected disclosure

Summary

Patrick Gorman, a former Air Corps airman who served 35 years, claims he was denied a retirement ceremony after making protected disclosures in 2014 and 2015. He alleges that up to six former members of the No 4 Support Wing at Baldonnel Aerodrome were similarly treated. Gorman's representative, Niall Donohue, told the Workplace Relations Commission that the denial undermined his reputation within the Defence Forces community. The State, represented by Hugh Guidera BL, argues Gorman is too late to file a penalisation claim, citing that he filed a statutory complaint in November 2022, more than two and a half years after retirement. Guidera also contends that Defence Forces personnel are "workers" under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, not "employees," and therefore lack the same protections. Commandant David Brennan testified that unit presentations are organised by colleagues and peers, and that no decision was made to exclude Gorman.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'The biggest slap in the face': ex-airman says he was denied retirement ceremony for making protected disclosure. Charges or matters: penalisation claim. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• November 2022 Other
• October 2021 Other
• 2014 and 2015 Other
• 2024-02-21 Publication

Why: Former airman Patrick Gorman claims he was penalised in breach of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 on the grounds that he was not invited back to his former unit to receive a presentation marking his retirement because he made protected disclosures a number of years earlier. CNI source report

Case subjects

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

Read the original CNI report