Courts / Kildare / Report

Ballyseedy IT manager sacked before boss arrested over record meth seizure wins €78k

Summary

David McCullagh, an IT manager dismissed by Ballyseedy Restaurant Ltd, has been awarded €77,848 by the Workplace Relations Commission for unfair dismissal and employment rights breaches. The company, linked to the Ballyseedy Garden Centre, ceased trading in February following the arrest of its chief executive, Nathan McDonnell. Mr McDonnell pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court in September to drug importation and facilitating an organised crime gang, and is due to be sentenced in December. McCullagh alleged he was forced out after raising a grievance over unconsented pay cuts and short-time working. The adjudicator found his dismissal unfair, noting that his job search may have been curtailed by the company's collapse and the association with the criminal case. The award includes €50,000 for unfair dismissal, €24,000 for unpaid leave and wages, and €3,848 for the absence of a written contract. Ballyseedy Restaurant Ltd was placed into liquidation by the High Court this month. The court report confirms the procedural stage for McDonnell is sentence, with his guilty plea to the specified charges admitted.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Ballyseedy IT manager sacked before boss arrested over record meth seizure wins €78k. Charges or matters: drug importation and facilitating an organised crime gang, and is due to be sentenced in December. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• 26 February Incident
• 13 January Hearing Or Sentence
• October 2023 Other
• Saturday 13 January Other
• 2024-11-15 Publication

Why: He said the impression he had was that one recruiter "didn't want to put me forward" for another post "because I'd been with Ballyseedy". CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

Related court reports

• Ballyseedy CEO gets 12 years as court finds he was 'committed to and invested in' €32m drugs venture linked to Sinaloa Cartel
• Kerry Crime Group at root of biggest ever Crystal Meth seizure were connected to Sinaloa Cartel
• Garden centre owner has sentencing over record crystal meth haul adjourned
• 'Fallout' from Ballyseedy affair hampering job search, WRC hears
• Businessman enters guilty plea in relation to largest crystal meth haul in Irish history
• Business owner facing charges relating to largest ever meth haul gets legal aid

Read the original CNI report