Courts / Ireland / Report
Veteran construction manager sacked over 'industrial scale' use of firm's plant to build son's house loses claim
2026-05-15
Hearing Or Decision
Summary
A veteran construction manager who was sacked after 45 years at Murphy International Limited for using the company's resources to build his son's house has lost his claim for unfair dismissal. Dermot Murphy, who was plant operations manager since 1989, was found to have facilitated the unauthorized use of company plant, equipment, and materials for his son's house. The tribunal rejected his complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, noting that the company's investigation showed he had assisted in procuring equipment and materials for his son. The court found that the dismissal was both substantively and procedurally fair. Murphy claimed it was common practice to use company resources for personal use, but the tribunal did not accept this. The company's security manager presented tracking data showing 62 deliveries to the house site and eight pieces of plant left there for 273 days. The adjudication officer concluded that Murphy had assisted in the unauthorized use of company resources.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Veteran construction manager sacked over 'industrial scale' use of firm's plant to build son's house loses claim. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision
When:
- July 2022 Other
- May 2024 Other
- 2026-05-15 Publication
Why: An €800 bill to have the gates powder-coated was settled by the employer as a "short-term solution" because the other company "would not take cash", he said. CNI source report
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