Courts / Ireland / Report
Children's charity accused of 'appalling' attempt to shut down employment dispute
Summary
Children's charity Barnardos has been accused of attempting to use a technical legal argument to shut down a long-running employment rights dispute after the claimant was given an adjournment when her father died. Tara Smith, who was employed by Barnardos for nearly three decades, was let go in January 2021 on the basis of redundancy, which she argues was unfair. The charity's lawyers moved an application to dismiss her complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 without hearing her evidence. Ms Smith's representative objected to the motion, arguing that it was a disgraceful move by the charity and that the case had already been delayed due to previous legal proceedings. The charity's barrister argued that the legislation provided for the dismissal of a complaint if there was a failure to pursue it for 12 calendar months. The case was adjourned for an exchange of written legal submissions on the application.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Children's charity accused of 'appalling' attempt to shut down employment dispute. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial
When:
- January 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
- 14 November 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
- October 2025 Hearing Or Sentence
- November 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2026-01-27 Publication
Why: "A pre-emptory decision was issued by the WRC and we had to go to the High Court to have it quashed in order to have these proceedings and for my client to be heard," he said, referencing a previous hearing in 2022. CNI source report
Case subjects
Applicant
Outcome: Mr Keenan said the complainant had "relied on the advice from the Commission" when the case was put back in November 2024, when he said the WRC "undertook to contact us in relation to new hearing arrangements". "It is the normal course that parties would rely on the good offices of the Commission to order their affairs in such a way that it might be as expeditious as possible. "If there was any de
Applicant
Outcome: Mr Keenan said the complainant had "relied on the advice from the Commission" when the case was put back in November 2024, when he said the WRC "undertook to contact us in relation to new hearing arrangements". "It is the normal course that parties would rely on the good offices of the Commission to order their affairs in such a way that it might be as expeditious as possible. "If there was any de
Places mentioned
- High Court
Topics
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