Courts / Ireland / Report

Central Bank settles alleged whistleblower case with sacked forensic investigator

Summary

The Central Bank of Ireland has settled a dispute with a former forensic investigator, Nigar Babayeva, who was dismissed after alleging she faced ill treatment by a manager. The settlement was confirmed at a hearing before the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), where Babayeva signed documents to withdraw her complaints under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 and the Protected Disclosures Act 2014. Babayeva was sacked in July 2023 after filing a grievance during her probationary period. Her solicitor, Setanta Landers, stated that HR shared her complaints with the manager, who then terminated her without contractual authority. The manager was not her official supervisor, raising questions about the legitimacy of her dismissal. The Central Bank's legal representative, Niamh McGowan BL, disputed claims that HR shared information with the manager and argued that parts of the case were statute-barred. The tribunal was initially set to hear the case over three sessions, but both parties agreed to a settlement. Adjudicator Orla Jones confirmed the withdrawal of the complaint, and Babayeva signed the form, ending the legal proceedings.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Central Bank settles alleged whistleblower case with sacked forensic investigator. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• July 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2026-01-23 Publication

Why: Ms McGowan also argued at last year's hearing that the WRC's jurisdiction in the case was limited because of the timing of Ms Babayeva's complaints, and aspects of it were "statute-barred". CNI source report

Case subjects

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

Read the original CNI report