Courts / Ireland / Report

Detention centre worker denied chance to compete for senior job wins €20k

Summary

A veteran detention centre worker, diagnosed with Stills Disease in 2008, was denied a senior post in a 2021 promotion competition. He claimed the decision was discriminatory under the Employment Equality Act 1998. The Workplace Relations Commission rejected his lawyers' request to declare the competition null and void, citing the passage of time. The worker had been transferred to the centre's central hub in September 2019 to accommodate his health, a role with minimal human contact. He argued the transfer was a support following a serious assault on his son and that he was fit to return to work in May 2021. The adjudicator found the employer had discriminated by preventing his advancement, awarded €20,000 in compensation, and directed the employer to conduct a risk assessment before future promotions.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Detention centre worker denied chance to compete for senior job wins €20k. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• September 2019 Other
• March 2020 Incident
• June 2021 Incident
• May 2021 Other
• October 2021 Other
• 2025-10-06 Publication

Why: A veteran detention centre worker who was denied a chance to compete for a senior post at his workplace because of a medical diagnosis has won €20,000 in compensation for disability discrimination. CNI source report

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision Violent Crime

Read the original CNI report