WRC awards David McCullagh €77,848 over unfair dismissal and employment rights breaches

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

The Workplace Relations Commission ordered Ballyseedy Restaurant Ltd to pay former IT manager David McCullagh €77,848 after upholding his complaints over unfair dismissal and other employment rights breaches. The award comprised €50,000 for unfair dismissal, €24,000 for unpaid wages, notice pay and accrued annual leave, and €3,848 for the absence of a written employment contract.

McCullagh’s employment ended on 13 January 2024 after he challenged cuts to his pay and hours. The company did not attend the WRC hearing. Adjudicator Aideen Collard found McCullagh had been actively seeking work during ten months out of employment and said the way the company ceased trading may have curtailed his job search.

Ballyseedy Restaurant Ltd ceased trading on 26 February 2024 following the arrest of its chief executive, Nathan McDonnell. McCullagh told the WRC he had come close to securing other roles, but those opportunities fell away when prospective employers learned where he had worked.