Courts / Ireland / Report

Autism service worker sacked over alleged 'not my circus' remark wins €12.5k for unfair dismissal

Summary

Aidan Fitzgibbon, a 15‑year‑old social care worker at Autism Initiatives, was dismissed in January 2022 after an alleged "not my monkey, not my circus" remark and leaving work when an alarm sounded. The company cited gross misconduct for "unprofessional, discriminatory, de‑humanising, and flippant" language, including a comment that service users were "still autistic." Fitzgibbon denied the remarks, claiming they were taken out of context and made in jest. The disciplinary officer found the remarks credible and that Fitzgibbon's departure during an alarm indicated disrespect. Fitzgibbon represented himself before the Workplace Relations Commission, arguing the investigation lacked procedural rigour and that the employer failed to interview key witnesses. The adjudicator, Conor Stokes, upheld the complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, finding the dismissal procedurally unfair and awarding €12,500 for loss of earnings. The decision rejected Fitzgibbon's request for reinstatement.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Autism service worker sacked over alleged 'not my circus' remark wins €12.5k for unfair dismissal. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

• January 2022 Other
• November 2021 Other
• 2025-04-07 Publication

Why: His position was that his former line manager and a colleague "made it up because he had made a complaint about them". CNI source report

Case subjects

Topics

Stage Charge Or Pretrial

Read the original CNI report