Courts / Ireland / Report

Employer tells WRC of AI 'hallucinations' in legal submissions

Date
2026-01-08
Stage
Hearing Or Decision

Summary

A human resources worker, Jadene Maclou, faced challenges in her employment tribunal claim after admitting to using AI assistance in preparing her legal submissions. At the Workplace Relations Commission, her former employer's barrister highlighted inaccuracies in her legal papers, suggesting some references were 'hallucinations' that could not be verified. Ms Maclou alleged penalisation in breach of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 against her former employer, Virtuoso Learning Ltd. Representing herself, she claimed a 'clear pattern of penalisation' for speaking out about matters at the business. The adjudicator, Penelope McGrath, requested a concise summary of her position and the law she was relying on. Ms Maclou acknowledged using AI assistance, but the adjudicator emphasized the burden of proof on the claimant to ensure the cited cases exist. The matter was adjourned until the end of February for the exchange of new legal submissions.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Employer tells WRC of AI 'hallucinations' in legal submissions. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

Case subjects

Jadene Maclou

Applicant

Outcome: The adjudicator adjourned the matter until the end of February for the exchange of new legal submissions.

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

Read the original CNI report

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