Courts / Louth / Report

Mandy La Combre gives evidence about Brendan Ogle Facebook posts

Date
2024-05-27
Stage
Charge Or Pretrial
Primary locality
Dundalk
County
Louth

Summary

In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, former Unite boss Mandy La Combre testified that her husband Brendan Ogle's Facebook post on 11 September 2022 criticised the union and was intended to pre‑empt "trolling" from council water workers upset over an industrial agreement. La Combre said she feared a repeat of earlier online harassment and wanted to "put it to bed." She claimed Ogle had been "frozen out of staff and activist meetings" and that a move to a reduced role in Dundalk had been attempted. The union's former chairman, Tony Woodhouse, had spoken at a conference about "lies" on social media, prompting Ogle to issue legal proceedings against Woodhouse for defamation. Unite's counsel argued that La Combre's post was a "hand grenade" and that the Irish Examiner had published her contact details. The tribunal heard that Ogle's lawyers failed to secure a summons of Unite's general secretary, Sharon Graham, as a witness.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Mandy La Combre gives evidence about Brendan Ogle Facebook posts. Charges or matters: disability discrimination; failure to provide reasonable accommodation; victimisation; harassment. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

Why: His position is that he turned down the move in December 2021 because he was not satisfied that his pay and seniority would be retained. CNI source report

Case subjects

Brendan Ogle

Applicant

Charges: disability discrimination; failure to provide reasonable accommodation; victimisation; harassment (Alleged Or Contested)

Places mentioned

Secondary Mention
Facility
  • Apollo House

Topics

Stage Charge Or Pretrial

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

Correction or retraction request

If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.

Email a correction request