Courts / Waterford / Report
Veteran Virgin broadcaster bids to halt disciplinary proceedings against him
Summary
Paul Byrne, a veteran Virgin Media broadcaster, has filed High Court proceedings to halt disciplinary action taken by his employer after he was suspended following a live report on February 9th about a young boy's death in County Waterford. Byrne argues the information he presented was believed credible at the time and that the suspension was due to alleged breach of the broadcaster's News Guidelines for not consulting his line manager beforehand. He claims the disciplinary process is flawed, punitive, and breaches his contractual rights, seeking an injunction to stop the proceedings, restore his salary and benefits, lift his suspension, and prevent replacement. Virgin Media denies the allegations, stating the breach was serious and steps were needed to avoid recurrence. Byrne's counsel, Eoin Clifford SC, described the process as "irredeemably flawed" and highlighted that Byrne was not required to discuss the report with the producer. The case is set to return to court next week.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Veteran Virgin broadcaster bids to halt disciplinary proceedings against him. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision
When:
- February 9th Hearing Or Sentence
- 2024-04-16 Publication
Why: Mr Byrne claims his employer informed him that he was being suspended for allegedly breaching the broadcaster's News Guidelines and Production Handbook because he had failed to speak to his line manager about the matter in advance of the broadcast. CNI source report
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