Courts / Ireland / Report
Director at 'Irish Central' publisher wins €12k over 'inadequate' redundancy process
2025-03-19
Hearing Or Decision
Summary
A Workplace Relations Commission adjudicator ordered Irish Studio Media Publishing Limited, publisher of IrishCentral.com, to pay €12,000 to Sinead Behan for unfair dismissal. The hearing, presided over by Adjudicator Máire Mulcahy, found that while Behan's employment ended due to genuine redundancy following the cessation of five magazine titles, the company's consultation process was inadequate. The adjudicator described the consultation as a "tick-box exercise" that was initiated at short notice and failed to explore alternatives or allow Behan to be accompanied. Although the company argued that financial losses and a diminished need for the publishing director role justified the termination, the tribunal concluded the process rendered the dismissal unfair. Behan, who had worked for the company since 2003, had received only €8,331 of the estimated €25,332 statutory redundancy due. The adjudicator rejected Behan's separate claim for statutory redundancy under the Redundancy Payments Act 1967, noting that the company had already made partial payments. The final decision awarded €12,000 as fair and equitable compensation for the unfair dismissal, concluding the matter with this specific financial order.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Director at 'Irish Central' publisher wins €12k over 'inadequate' redundancy process. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision
When:
- May 2023 Incident
- December 2021 Incident
- January 2022 Other
- September 2022 Other
- September 2023 Other
- February 2024 Other
- 2025-03-19 Publication
Case subjects
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