In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 9 October 2024, a 44‑year‑old woman testified that a facial scar she sustained during a "vicious attack" by her husband remains a constant reminder of the assault. The husband, who pleaded guilty to assault causing harm in August 2020, claimed the incident was a 100 % accident when he attempted to flip a suitcase to empty it, striking her face and causing a wound between her nose and lip that bled heavily. The couple were on holiday with their three small children when the incident occurred. The woman described the children's distress, her fear of the husband, and her ongoing emotional and physical impact, including counselling and antidepressants. She also noted she had used up sick leave entitlements and worries about future support for herself and the children. The case was adjourned for finalisation to 15 October 2024.
Trade union Siptu claims that the demotion of Indian manager Syed Baqur‑Hussain by security firm Complete Solutions Ltd (OCS) was due to direct racial discrimination. Baqur‑Hussain, who had been the company's contract manager, punched a man identified as a shoplifter during a melee on an escalator at Tesco's Jervis Shopping Centre on 30 August 2022. The company says he escalated the situation and was disciplined for his own actions, while a Polish colleague involved in the incident was not sanctioned. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has heard a complaint under the Employment Equality Act 1998 and is reviewing the decision. Siptu's representative, Nicola Coleman, argues that OCS's disciplinary process was biased, that the company failed to provide proper guidance on self‑defence and racial abuse, and that Baqur‑Hussain suffered a €62,000 loss in earnings. The WRC will issue a written decision in due course.
In a High Court sentencing hearing, a 68‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to 17 counts of sexual assault against a girl aged 12‑14 between 1992 and 1994. The judge praised the survivor for delivering a victim impact statement, noting her courage and the message she sent to other children who lack a voice. The survivor described how the perpetrator touched her breasts, vagina and performed oral sex, often cornering her in his home, in his son's bedroom, and in a car. She said the abuse stole her childhood, innocence, and choice, and caused lasting anxiety, panic attacks, and health problems. She reported the abuse to Gardaí in July 2022 and sought justice for herself and her children. The judge thanked her for her effort and courage, while the defence offered an apology and expressed remorse. The case was adjourned to November for an updated probation report.
Galway County Council has conceded to an objection by the Friends of the Irish Environment Group (FIE) regarding emergency flood relief works near Kylemore Abbey in Connemara. The High Court hearing, presided over by Ms Justice Emily Farrell, found that the council had communicated its concession to the objection last month. The FIE had challenged the council's authorization of works under the 1949 Local Authorities Act, arguing that the Act's provisions were invalid and that the works breached EU directives on habitats and environmental impact assessments. The group sought a High Court order to quash the council's decision to authorise works at the N59 Kylemore Bridge and to impose a temporary stay on those works, as well as declarations that sections of the 1949 Act were mis‑transposed EU directives. The court adjourned the matter for two weeks to allow the parties to consider further proceedings.
Former 2FM presenter Nikki Hayes (real name Eimear Black O'Keeffe), aged 44, avoided a criminal conviction after pleading guilty to possessing €15,000 as proceeds of crime in a Permanent TSB bank account. The money, comprising €10,000, €2,600 and €2,400, was withdrawn from an injured party's account and deposited into O'Keeffe's account. She had six prior convictions for minor road‑traffic offences and had her sentencing hearing adjourned twice, once after a fall and once to seek treatment for alcohol addiction. O'Keeffe has since completed residential treatment, is drug‑ and alcohol‑free, and has repaid the full amount to the victim. Judge Martina Baxter discharged her under Section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act, meaning she will not incur a criminal conviction. The court noted her vulnerability, mental‑health diagnoses, and rehabilitation efforts as mitigating factors. O'Keeffe is no longer employed in radio and is pursuing further training and an accountancy course.
In a case heard by the Workplace Relations Commission, former compliance chief Billie Stevens of AAO IE Services Limited was awarded €13,333, the amount of one month's salary that had been unlawfully withheld. Stevens, who had been employed as head of compliance and money‑laundering reporting officer from 18 July 2023 until 31 August 2024, claimed that the company had deducted the full monthly salary of €13,333 from his pay in August 2023 and that he had made repeated requests for the payment without success. The complaint, lodged under the Payment of Wages Act 1997 in November 2023, was supported by documentation. The company's chief executive, Danny Brewster, admitted that money was owed but could not state the amount. The adjudicator, Christina Ryan, found the employment relationship to be genuine, confirmed that the deduction was unlawful, and awarded Stevens the back pay of €13,333 gross. The decision was issued on 4 October 2024.
The Workplace Relations Commission upheld the dismissal of delivery driver Szymon Stolarczyk after he admitted stopping a 15‑year‑old girl on the street and offering her chocolate from the window of a company van. The incident occurred on 15 December 2023 at a housing estate where Stolarczyk and a colleague were making deliveries. He claimed he had never been told in training not to share food with people on the street, but the company argued that a complaint from the customer and a report to Gardaí had led to an investigation. Stolarczyk was suspended with pay on 18 December, admitted the facts, and was sacked for gross misconduct. The tribunal found the dismissal fair, rational and proportionate, and rejected his claim of unfair dismissal.
A startup, Cushla Health Systems Ltd, was ordered by an employment tribunal to pay former chief medical officer David Morris €88,134 after the tribunal found that the company unlawfully deducted his salary, notice pay and accrued annual leave. Mr Morris, who had been due €125,000 a year for the first five months of 2024, had experienced repeated late payments from July 2022 to December 2023 and no payments at all in 2024. He claimed the company's CEO, Richard Egan, had repeatedly assured him of funding but failed to provide formal notice of termination until 30 May 2024, after an informal "layoff" discussion in April. The tribunal concluded that the company was liable for unpaid wages in April and May, and directed the company to pay the full amount to Mr Morris.
A Leaving Certificate supervisor from Monaghan has failed in a claim before the Workplace Relations Commission seeking over €1,600 in mileage expenses from the State Examinations Commission. Daniel Murphy alleged he was underpaid for travel to St Ciaran's Community School in Kells, County Meath, where he has supervised exams since 2021. He contended that driving via the N2 motorway was the only practical route to avoid potential delays from agricultural traffic on minor roads, yet his mileage claims were systematically reduced. The SEC maintained it could only reimburse the shortest distance according to Department of Finance regulations. Adjudicator Christina Ryan dismissed the complaint, ruling that mileage expenses fall outside the definition of wages covered by the Payment of Wages Act and therefore do not fall within the tribunal's jurisdiction.
The Department of Education was ordered to pay €5,000 to Cormac Flynn, a legally blind student, after a tribunal found that he was denied access to a summer tuition programme during the Covid‑19 pandemic. Flynn, who had less than 10% sight and required magnification for close work, was told by his school that he was not eligible for home tuition under the July Provision scheme in 2020, even though blind children at primary level were normally included. His mother applied for the scheme in June 2020, hoping his needs would be met, but Flynn was refused and later had to drop honours maths. The tribunal held that the Department could have included him in the scheme based on his needs, and directed the Department to compensate him for the exclusion. The decision was upheld by the tribunal, recognising the impact of the denial on Flynn's education.
In a landmark decision, the Workplace Relations Commission ruled that fiddle player Matt McGranaghan was an employee of MEPC Music Ltd, not an independent contractor, and awarded him compensation for unfair dismissal and breaches of employment rights. The tribunal applied the Supreme Court's 2023 test to distinguish employees from contractors in the entertainment sector. McGranaghan earned about €50,000 a year from roughly 220 gigs over six years, and the WRC awarded him €26,880 for unfair dismissal, €12,480 for various statutory breaches, and €4,480 for notice pay. MEPC's lawyers contested the ruling, arguing McGranaghan was self‑employed and that treating him as an employee saved the company 15% in PRSI. The company has now filed an appeal to the Labour Court, claiming the decision should be overturned on behalf of the music industry, which it says relies on independent contractors. The appeal's grounds have not yet been set out.
In a decision issued on 20 September 2024, the Workplace Relations Commission tribunal ordered Lidl Ireland GmbH to pay former Paralympic athlete Nadine Lattimore €2,000 for disability discrimination. The complaint arose on 14 February when a Lidl employee told Lattimore to move her guide dog, Pilot, away from a bakery shelf, citing concerns that the dog might interfere with or lick food. Lattimore explained that she was blind and required the dog for assistance. She described the interaction as humiliating and hostile, and noted that a later employee apologized and clarified that she was not the owner of a dog that had previously eaten bakery stock. Lidl acknowledged the request to move the dog but denied that the conduct amounted to discrimination. The adjudicator found a failure by staff to ensure reasonable access, causing unnecessary upset, and awarded the compensation. The case follows a similar June ruling against Dealz Ltd for a separate breach of the Equal Status Act.
The Workplace Relations Commission ordered an unidentified supermarket to pay €6,000 in compensation to a Roma man for racial discrimination and harassment under the Equal Status Act 2000. Adjudicator Thomas O'Driscoll found that the man was refused service on 5 October 2023 based on a stereotype associated with his Roma heritage, rejecting the respondent's claim that he was barred for shouting and calling staff racists. The tribunal concluded the refusal of service constituted discrimination that was not satisfactorily rebutted, and the ejection from the shop amounted to harassment. The adjudicator noted the humiliation suffered in front of the claimant's daughter as an aggravating factor. While the claimant alleged victimisation for filing a previous notice of discrimination on behalf of his wife, the tribunal found no evidence that shop workers knew of this notice, thus rejecting that specific claim. The respondent denied bias, attributing the incident to the claimant's aggressive behaviour, but the adjudicator deemed their evidence unconvincing, particularly regarding the deletion of crucial CCTV footage. In a separate decision, Adjudicator Patsy Doyle awarded €5,000 to an 11-year-old Traveller boy who was refused service at a different shop. The tribunal found the shop failed to prove its policy of not serving unaccompanied under-14s after 6pm was applied consistently, noting receipts showed non-Traveller minors were served without issue. The shop was ordered to ensure its policy is implemented in a non-discriminatory manner. Both decisions were anonymised.
The Workplace Relations Commission awarded €550,131 to former Twitter Ireland executive Gary Rooney for an unfair dismissal. Rooney claimed his employment ended when he did not click "yes" on an email from Elon Musk demanding acceptance of new, unspecified terms within 24 hours. The email, titled "A Fork in the Road," warned that failure to respond would result in a three‑month severance package. Rooney argued the deadline was unreasonable and that the email constituted a threat, ultimatum and misstatement. The WRC found that Rooney's failure to click "yes" did not amount to resignation, that Twitter had prevented him from accessing his work, and that the dismissal was unfair due to lack of substantial grounds. The commission calculated the award to include €200,000 for prospective future loss of earnings and dismissed a separate claim for a 2022 performance bonus. Rooney's solicitor praised the outcome, noting the award surpassed the previous record of €440,000.
An accountant, Mohammed Nurulain Boda, won over €40,000 in a tribunal decision against Oasis Global Management Company (Ireland) Ltd after he refused to relocate to the UK when the firm closed its Dublin office. The Workplace Relations Commission found that senior executives harassed him, calling him a "lazy bastard" and instructing staff to "f*** him up." Boda's salary was stopped the day he informed the company of his decision, and his network access was cut off two days later. He claimed discrimination on the basis of his Indian nationality. The tribunal awarded €18,000 for a breach of the Employment Equality Act, €7,470 for unpaid bonus and commission, €14,837 for unpaid salary, and a statutory redundancy payment of nearly €12,000 for nine years' service. The decision also directed the company to pay the sums under the Payment of Wages Act 1991.
A tribunal ordered Komfort Kare to pay a manager €7,000 after finding it unreasonable to expect him to return to work the morning after his wife's miscarriage. The manager, who left work on 21 May to bring his wife to Rotunda Hospital, requested force majeure leave for two days. The CEO, Brenda Kavanagh, replied that force majeure is only for one day and suggested unpaid carer's leave instead. The manager argued he was entitled to up to three days of paid force majeure leave in a year. The adjudicator, David James Murphy, found the company's refusal and invasive request for a care plan to be inconsistent with the Parental Leave Act. He upheld the complaint and awarded €7,000 in compensation. The decision was published on 2 August 2024.
A Workplace Relations Commission adjudicator ruled that Integral Fitness and Leisure, trading as Bettystown Leisure Ltd, was within its rights to refuse a membership renewal to former patron Nedas Juknevicius. The decision dismissed Juknevicius's complaint of discrimination and victimisation under the Equal Status Act 2000. The dispute originated on 28 March 2023, when Juknevicius accused senior coach Guy Bates of inappropriately touching his wife during a class. An independent investigation commissioned by gym owner Brian Browning found no evidence of inappropriate conduct, concluding that Bates had merely assisted a member with an exercise. During the confrontation, Juknevicius allegedly used derogatory language toward Bates, which Bates described as shocking. The adjudicator, Michael McEntee, characterized the incident as a "borderline serious public brawl" initiated by Juknevicius's remarks. Although Juknevicius disputed the gym's characterization of his behavior as intimidating during a subsequent visit in September 2023, the adjudicator found that the gym's decision to decline the renewal was justified by the March incidents. The adjudicator noted that a public altercation is not inherently discriminatory and that victimisation could not follow. Consequently, Juknevicius's complaint was deemed not to succeed, clearing the gym of the alleged violations.
In a Workplace Relations Commission decision, a hospitality manager who claimed he was subjected to a "constant stream of sexually inappropriate texts" from a senior colleague after a brief flirtation was awarded €45,000 for sexual harassment. The manager, Mr B, joined the firm in May 2021 and reported that Ms A, the financial controller, became flirty in August 2021 and attempted to kiss him in September, which he declined. He said they had two kisses over a three‑to‑four‑week period before he told her it had to stop and denied any relationship. Ms A then sent him repeated sexually inappropriate messages, photographs and videos via WhatsApp until July 2022, despite his clear refusals. Mr B ceased contact and blocked her number. The tribunal found the company's anti‑harassment procedures deficient and upheld the harassment claim under the Employment Equality Act 1998, but found no evidence of victimisation or constructive dismissal. The award was €45,000.
An adjudicator of the Workplace Relations Commission found it "clearly inappropriate" that a restaurant managing director collected €193 a week in cash from a waitress who lived in a shared house owned by the director, without any formal tenancy agreement or written record. The waitress, employed on a work permit, claimed she suffered illegal wage deductions and that the director demanded €7,500 to facilitate her visa renewal, after which she was dismissed. The director denied the allegations, stating the payments were agreed rent and that the waitress had resigned verbally. The tribunal rejected the wage‑deduction claim under the Payment of Wages Act but awarded the waitress nearly €12,000 for employment rights breaches, including unfair dismissal and multiple working‑time violations. The decision noted the director's failure to maintain proper tenancy documentation and to follow grievance procedures before dismissal. The total award was €11,730.
The Supreme Court ruled that the Labour Court erred in ordering the reinstatement of Mr Aodhagan Ó Suird as principal of Gaelscoil Moshiolog, a decision made in 2015 after his dismissal. While the Labour Court had found the dismissal unfair, the Supreme Court held that it had not properly considered the exceptional nature of reinstatement and the practical implications for the school. The Court therefore set aside the Labour Court's order and refused to remit the case for a fresh consideration, citing the passage of time and Mr Ó Suird's continued service as principal. It also overturned High Court orders that had awarded him arrears of pay and legal costs, directing those sums to be repaid to the board. The decision was delivered by Chief Justice Donal O'Donnell and a panel of four other judges. The case stemmed from allegations that Mr Ó Suird had inflated enrolment figures and from earlier complaints about his conduct with a student.
During a billiards tournament at the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire on 29 September 2023, 70‑year‑old software company owner Steven Gillman felt his refereeing abilities were belittled by a fellow club member. In a fit of anger, Gillman punched the victim repeatedly in the face, then again after the victim fell. The assault caused the victim a fractured eye socket, a dislocated eye lens, and ongoing medical issues including double vision and tinnitus. Gillman pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm. He has no prior convictions and was described by his defence counsel as a "model citizen." He has since resigned from the yacht club, paid €5,000 as a token of remorse, and is awaiting a probation report. The court adjourned the matter to 24 November, noting that a higher sum of €15,000 would be more appropriate.
Dr Idriss Jebari, a lecturer in Near and Middle Eastern Studies at Trinity College Dublin, claimed that after raising concerns about an uneven distribution of teaching duties, he was penalised by being assigned a double teaching workload for the spring term. He said the increased load, which he calculated at nearly 650 hours, caused severe burnout, leading to medical leave. Jebari also alleged that his tenure application, which he secured in February 2024, was threatened by the head of department's refusal to support his request for a research sabbatical and a lack of supervisory meetings. He further contended that the conflict in Gaza and a campus occupation heightened his stress, requiring him to exercise extra caution in his teaching. The case is pending a decision by the Workplace Relations Commission.
Three students – Margaret Eyong Taku, Wendy Briggs and Christina Igweze – have filed High Court proceedings to overturn their expulsions from Dundalk Institute of Technology. The expulsions followed internal disciplinary proceedings over alleged incidents on campus on 30‑31 January, including an aggressive physical altercation among the students. The college suspended the students, then a disciplinary committee recommended expulsion and campus bans in February. Appeals to the college's Appeals Committee in April were rejected. The students argue the college acted beyond its powers, with disproportionate findings, lacking adequate reasons and failing to consider relevant factors. They seek orders quashing the expulsions, re‑admission to their programmes, damages, and declarations that the college's actions were unlawful and irrational. Ms Justice Niamh Hyland granted ex‑parte permission for the cases, which will return in October for further hearings.
Jonathan Diggins, 47, a former student of Jill Biden, was caught with €330,000 worth of ketamine in a suitcase at Dublin Airport in 2023. The suitcase, which had missed a connecting flight from Brussels to San Francisco, was found to contain seven packs of ketamine with a street value of €330,000. Diggins was arrested a few weeks later when he returned to Ireland to search for the lost suitcase. He pleaded guilty to one count of importing drugs on 6 November 2023. He has no prior convictions. His defence counsel argued that the drugs were simply in transit from Belgium to the United States and that Diggins had no intention of importing them into Ireland. The court adjourned the matter for finalisation on 31 July 2024. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The prosecution was represented by Jane Horgan-Jones BL, and the defence by James Dwyer SC.
In a High Court hearing on 26 July 2024, Crann Ard Developments Ltd sought orders to halt the presence of horses on its Ardgeeha Upper land in Clonmel, County Tipperary, where it intends to build a €55 million residential development of 114 units. The company claims that Mr William Reilly has left his horses on the site without permission, thereby trespassing and preventing the commencement of construction. It requests an injunction restraining Mr Reilly from entering or interfering with the land, blocking access, and compelling him to remove all livestock. Mr Reilly's solicitors alleged continuous possession of the land since 2007, but the company rejects any entitlement. The court granted the company permission to serve short‑notice injunction proceedings, with the matter set to return next week. The company plans to start groundworks in August and September but fears financial loss if construction is delayed. The judge was Mr Justice Mark Sanfey.
The High Court has set a hearing date for a lead challenge, a "test case," concerning primary school placements for children with autism. Families have filed judicial review actions against the Minister for Education and the State, arguing that they have been unable to secure suitable school places despite contacting many schools. They claim this failure breaches the children's constitutional right to adequate education and fear regression if the children remain outside the school system. The judge, Ms Justice Niamh Hyland, deemed the matters urgent and scheduled the test case for mid‑November, with other related actions to be heard in October. The Minister's counsel noted that extra classes and places have been sanctioned, but enrolment decisions rest with schools. The applicant families' counsel highlighted that clients have sought places since March, received only generic responses, and remain unaware of details about the new places.
A Palestinian man, who has sued the State for failing to provide accommodation after seeking international protection, has not responded to a settlement offer. The High Court heard that the man, who is unwell and cannot be named, arrived in the State in April and has spent recent months sleeping in a tent or in others' homes. He has brought judicial review proceedings against the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the Attorney General, seeking orders for accommodation, a vulnerability assessment and declarations that the Minister breached his EU rights to international protection. The State's counsel said a settlement offer had been sent to the man's legal team, but no reply has been received. The case was adjourned to September. The man, aged in his 40s, claims he was a former political prisoner who endured torture in an Israeli jail and was later attacked by settlers.
Businessman Desmond McGahan sued Mars Capital Finance and receiver Rory Cotter over interference with the sale of Ballinacurra House, a Kinsale estate that has hosted celebrities such as Michael Jackson. McGahan, who owns the property with his wife Lisa and three children, sought an injunction to stop the receiver and security staff from restricting access and changing locks. He claimed the receiver was not properly appointed and that the fund might sell the house at a gross undervalue of €4 m. The defendants denied wrongdoing and opposed the injunction. The case was heard by Ms Justice Siobhan Stack, where Edward Farrelly SC and Keith Farry BL represented McGahan, and William Abrahamson SC and Edward Murray represented the defendants. The parties reached a confidential settlement after mediation, allowing McGahan to proceed with his sale plans. The matter was adjourned for several months to implement the settlement terms.
In a High Court ruling on 25 July 2024, Mr Justice Liam Kennedy ordered James Buckley and his wife Paula to pay Caroline Teltsch €800,000 in damages for alleged unjust enrichment. Teltsch, owner of the Emerald Equestrian Centre in Enfield, Co Kildare, claimed she advanced loans to the Buckleys between 2010 and 2018 for purposes such as refurbishing the centre, buying a Jaguar XKR, a Mitsubishi Evo, paying tax and Revenue bills, medical expenses, legal costs, a house deposit, and flights to New York for the couple's wedding. She said she never received any repayment and that the Buckleys used the money for personal and business expenses. Teltsch also sought declarations that land near the centre was held in trust for her and that she was entitled to a stallion named Louis. The Buckleys denied the claims but failed to comply with a court order to disclose documents, leading to their defence being struck out.
Agnieszka Mialkowska, a former clerk at Lombard Shipping Ltd, claimed she was deceived into working hundreds of unpaid overtime hours, often until 11 pm, under the promise of a promotion. She presented evidence that her normal shift was 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, yet she regularly worked on reports until late evenings and on Saturdays. The Workplace Relations Commission found Lombard Shipping in breach of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, awarding Mialkowska €10,000 in compensation for excessive hours. The tribunal rejected her additional claim for €21,735 in unpaid wages for 630 hours of overtime between September 2021 and January 2022, citing no contractual provision for overtime pay. Lombard Shipping did not attend the hearing, and the adjudicator noted the company's lack of specific communication regarding its solicitor's illness.
A GP's receptionist, Margaret Dunne, who had worked at Dr Declan Scanlon's surgery in Tullamore, Co Offaly, for nearly 50 years, has won an additional €12,000 from a tribunal. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) ruled in her favor under the Employment Equality Act 1998, finding she was discriminated against on the grounds of age. During her medical leave due to the pandemic, she was replaced by two younger employees in their 40s while she was 65. Ms Dunne informed her employer in May 2021 that she was ready to return to work, but Dr Scanlon requested she undergo a medical checkup. Despite her willingness to comply, she received no further communication from Dr Scanlon. The tribunal noted that Dr Scanlon did not respond to inquiries about her return to work or redundancy payment, which she was entitled to upon the closure of the practice in October 2022.
A High Court hearing on 24 July 2024 addressed a boundary dispute that is delaying the construction of 74 houses in Rush, Co Dublin. The developers – Fintan Price, Frank Wilson, Tom Phelan, Bernard Carroll and Laurance Schwer – have sued market gardener Mr Camillus Archer and his son Derek Archer. The partnership seeks an injunction to stop the Archers from trespassing or interfering with the planned works. The developers claim the Archers entered their land, erected concrete poles, and deposited steel waste. They also allege that the Archers removed boundary markers and accused the developers' agents of forging a 2015 map signature. The Archers deny all wrongdoing. The case, heard by Ms Justice Siobhan Stack, was granted a short‑notice injunction application, with a follow‑up hearing scheduled for next week. The dispute remains a civil matter, and the developers are pressing for immediate construction to resume.
The Workplace Relations Commission heard complaints of constructive dismissal and gender discrimination against the Rotunda Hospital, brought by Kaitlyn Winston. The hospital's head of human resources, Joanne Connolly, admitted that a porter, identified as Mr G under a reporting restriction, was found to have sexually harassed Ms Winston in May 2022. Despite this finding, the hospital retained him on staff, issuing only a final written warning and transferring him to general duties with restrictions. Ms Winston alleged she remained in reasonable fear of further harassment after encountering Mr G in a stairwell in 2023. Her line manager, Jane Hickey, testified she was not informed the complaint was upheld and denied bias, stating she was unaware it was unsafe to keep the porter in her department. The hospital's general secretary, Jim Hussey, chaired the disciplinary process. The complainant's counsel argued the hospital failed to provide a safe environment, while the hospital's representative, Mark Comerford, stated the actions aligned with dignity at work policies. The adjudicator, Catherine Byrne, closed the hearing and is expected to issue a written decision in due course.
Caroline Teltsch, former owner of an equestrian centre linked to the John Gilligan family, has brought a High Court claim against James and Paula Buckley of Co. Carlow, seeking over €1 million in damages for alleged loan fraud. Teltsch says she advanced multiple loans between 2010 and 2018 to the Buckleys for purposes such as refurbishing the Emerald Equestrian Centre, paying tax bills, purchasing luxury cars, and covering various personal expenses. She claims the Buckleys never repaid any of the money and that they enriched themselves through deceit, confidence trickery and financial exploitation. Teltsch also seeks declarations that land near the centre is held in trust for her and that she is entitled to possession of a stallion named Louis. The Buckleys denied all allegations, were absent from the hearing, and their defence was struck out for failing to comply with a disclosure order. Mr Justice Liam Kennedy will deliver a judgment later this month.
A 54‑year‑old man pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to four charges of sexual assault against a 28‑year‑old woman who was a teenager when the offences occurred. The victim, aged 16‑17 at the time, described the defendant as a "sub‑human monster" and a "master manipulator" who repeatedly assaulted her while she babysat his children. She said he would stay up with her after his wife and children left, give her alcohol, and then sexually assault her in his home, on the couch, and in two local pubs. The victim's impact statement detailed how he groomed her, used derogatory language, isolated her, and caused her to feel ashamed and powerless. She also spoke of the emotional and psychological toll, including thoughts of self‑harm.
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court heard that a Westport man accused of killing his wife was experiencing acute and transient psychotic disorder at the time of the alleged killing. James Kilroy, aged 51, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of Valerie French Kilroy at their home in Kilbree Lower between June 13th and 14th, 2019. Defence psychiatric expert Dr Lisa Wootton testified that Mr Kilroy was likely suffering from the condition rather than cannabis-induced psychosis. She outlined that he held various delusional beliefs, including that his wife was involved in a plot with associates of Donald Trump to have him captured and killed, and that he was on a divine mission. Dr Wootton stated such delusions would have prevented him from understanding the wrongfulness of his actions. The prosecution called Professor Harry Kennedy, who offered a different diagnosis relating to cannabis intoxication. The trial continues.
Court ruled that Wix Online Platforms Ltd had unfairly dismissed Courtney Carey after her social media posts about the Palestine conflict. The tribunal, hearing under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, found the dismissal procedurally unfair and awarded Carey €35,000 in compensation. The decision noted that Carey had been out of work for 26 weeks from 23 October 2023, losing €20,000 in earnings, and that a further loss of €18,453.30 would accrue if she remained in her former role until the second anniversary of her dismissal. The tribunal highlighted that Carey had applied for 50‑60 jobs over six months, received no responses, and eventually secured a temporary clerk position at An Post paying €27,697.80 per year, compared with her former €40,000 salary. Wix must appeal by mid‑August.
In a tribunal hearing on 19 July 2024, a senior manager of Dublin Coach, John O'Sullivan, explained that the dismissal of driver Nico Holloway on 5 January was due to declining performance and a perceived threat of a mass exodus of drivers, not because of any protected disclosures about safety defects. Holloway, a South African haulier, had alleged that he reported safety defects on company buses that were not rectified and that he was subsequently penalised, including a flight booking to Cape Town and a deduction from his severance payment. O'Sullivan denied that the flight or deduction were related to Holloway's safety concerns, stating they were "nothing to do" with any alleged protected disclosures. He also highlighted that the company's buses had passed roadworthiness tests and that maintenance was carried out by qualified mechanics. The tribunal heard evidence from former drivers who claimed defects were logged but not addressed, and from a driver who noted recent defects.
Nico Holloway, a South African bus driver for Citi Bus Ltd, claims he was dismissed after raising safety concerns about multiple vehicles on intercity routes between October 2023 and January 2024. He alleged defects such as a cracked windscreen, malfunctioning wipers, faulty power steering, seatbelt failures, tyre misalignment and a door that opened on the M7 motorway. Holloway said he reported these issues to duty managers who told him to drive the buses as‑is and that no action was taken. He was served with a dismissal notice on 5 January 2024, after which managers allegedly arranged a flight for him to Cape Town and attempted to escort him to the airport, an action he described as a "self‑styled deportation." The Workplace Relations Commission hearing is ongoing, with further evidence to be presented tomorrow.
American tech firm PluralSight was ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission to pay Irish sales director Grainne Sherlock €112,000 for the handling of her redundancy in 2022. Sherlock, who joined PluralSight's Dublin commercial team in June 2019 and rose to SMB director by 2022, was made redundant when the company announced a staff reduction of a fifth, affecting 254 workers in the US and nine in Ireland. Sherlock's lawyers argued the redundancy process was contrived and manipulated to select her, a claim denied by the company. The tribunal found the selection criteria lacked clarity and objectivity, noting an 80/20 weighting of interviews versus past performance and no ranking was provided to Sherlock. The award covered her base salary, commission, a €20,000 bonus, and a cash equity payment, but excluded stock options. The decision was based on a 13‑month period from February to March 2024. The total compensation awarded was €112,000.
The strike by barristers caused a halt to several Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trials and the Central Criminal Court did not sit. Eight cases were listed for Court 7 at the Criminal Courts of Justice, all adjourned by Judge Patricia Ryan, most to tomorrow. No barristers were present; solicitors took notes of the adjournments. The strike, the second in a week, saw barristers outside the courthouse protesting fee cuts of 28–60% from 2008 to 2011. They plan to withdraw services again on 24 July. The action began in October 2023, with barristers claiming the Government failed to honour a commitment to review fee rates. 'Devil' barristers, including Áine Holt and Darren Lalor BL, joined senior colleagues, demanding an immediate pay increase for District Court barristers and arguing that current fees of €27.72 per application are unfair and unsustainable. They insist that restoring fees would allow them to remain in practice.
A financial fund, Everyday Finance DAC, has applied to the High Court to restrain Mr Joseph Kennedy and others from occupying a beach‑side property at Brackendown, Portrane, Co. Dublin, which the fund repossessed last month following court orders. The fund claims that Kennedy, who had previously lived there, unlawfully re‑occupied the two‑bedroom gated house with the help of unknown individuals. On Thursday evening, Kennedy allegedly asked a lone security operative for a guitar; when the operative returned the instrument, four men seized him and forced him out. The operative was then followed by a UK‑registered Nissan SUV that shoved into his car and pursued him to Malahide Garda Station, where the Gardaí reportedly did not register a complaint or remove the trespassers. Kennedy has since initiated proceedings against Everyday, which the fund says amount to a collateral attack on the possession orders.
In a High Court order, X was directed to give live‑streaming service Vinivia AG and its executives Steffan Graff and Marcello Genovese details of the owners of four X accounts alleged to run a malicious smear campaign. The court found that the accounts had posted defamatory statements about the plaintiffs, including claims of fraud, financial misconduct, and criminal behaviour, and that the posts breached the plaintiffs' GDPR rights. The plaintiffs, represented by Peter Shanley BL, said the posts caused significant reputational damage and harmed the company's business prospects. They sought a Norwich Pharmacal Order to obtain the identities of the account holders. X's Ireland subsidiary, Twitter International Unlimited Company, agreed neither to object nor to consent to the disclosure orders, and the plaintiffs agreed to pay the respondent's legal costs. Mr Justice Mark Sanfey noted the speed of the proceedings.
In a High Court case, a woman who was assaulted and threatened by her former husband claims she cannot sell her €1.5 million family home because a solicitor's firm that previously represented the couple refuses to return the property deeds. She alleges the firm has no right to retain the documents and has been denied them for over a year, despite her repeated requests. The firm, which had also represented her husband during their divorce, claims it is owed €10,000 for a failed property sale and has asked for €1,500 from her. The woman, represented by Gabriel Gavigan SC and David Geoghegan BL, seeks an order directing the firm to provide the original title deeds and the retainer file. The matter was scheduled for a hearing in July after Mr Justice Mark Sanfey granted the application on an ex‑parte basis.
The High Court appointed Nicholas O'Dwyer and John Boland of Grant Thornton as provisional liquidators for GNC Well Ireland Unlimited Company and THSD Unlimited Company, operators of 11 health‑food stores under the GNC brand. The companies, employing 86 staff, had been loss‑making for years, with sales falling 12% in 2021 and 5% in 2022, and faced rising costs such as business rates, wages, VAT on previously zero‑VAT items and import duties. Their parent, the US‑based GNC group, had provided intracompany loans but withdrew support after a strategic review that found the Irish operations unlikely to become profitable. The parent had also sought a buyer but could not complete a sale. The court said the liquidators would secure stock, liaise with potential buyers, and manage landlords and employees to maximise creditor returns. The case will return to the court later this month.
A local doctor, Dr Declan Scanlon, is ordered to pay a €40,000 severance to Margaret Dunne, a receptionist who worked at his Tullamore surgery for almost 50 years. Dunne began in March 1973 and worked continuously until the Covid‑19 pandemic forced her to stay home in March 2020. She tried to return in July 2021 but received no response from Scanlon, who had planned to close the practice in October 2022. Dunne applied for a redundancy payment after the closure and again got no reply or a redundancy certificate. The Workplace Relations Commission upheld her complaint under the Redundancy Payments Act 1967, ruling that her long service and weekly pay entitled her to the statutory redundancy sum. The calculation of the lump sum will be handled by the Department of Social Protection.
Switzerland-based Vinivia AG, CEO Steffan Graff, and CFO Marcello Genovese appeared before the High Court to seek a Norwich Pharmacal Order against Twitter International. The applicants alleged that four X accounts were targeting them with a malicious smear campaign, posting statements they claimed were defamatory, false, and in breach of GDPR rights. Counsel stated the posts accused the plaintiffs of fraud, money laundering, and other misconduct, causing significant reputational damage and an estimated €4m loss in investment. The court heard that American influencer Charli D'Amelio had cancelled her Live Streams on the app due to the negative posts. Mr Justice Oisin Quinn heard the application on an ex-parte basis. He granted the plaintiffs permission to serve notice of their application on Twitter International, directing the company to provide details identifying the holders of the four accounts. The judge described the allegations against the plaintiffs as serious and made the matter returnable to a date later this month. The applicants also sought orders for the removal of the posts and suspension of the accounts.
Nadine Lattimore, a Paralympian who represented Ireland in 2012, won €7,000 in compensation after a security guard at a Dealz shop in Dublin 1 tried to deny her guide dog entry. The incident occurred on 23 August last year when Lattimore was buying balloons and was told the dog was not allowed. She felt humiliated and vulnerable, and after the manager apologized and confirmed the dog was welcome, the case was brought under the Equal Status Act 2000. The tribunal found Dealz had not challenged her testimony and accepted her account. The decision ordered Dealz to pay the compensation, train staff repeatedly on the Act, and display signs welcoming guide and assistance dogs. Lattimore was represented by David McCarroll of RDJ LLP; Dealz was represented by Ursula Cullen of Miley and Miley LLP. The ruling was welcomed by Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, who highlighted the need for businesses to train staff on disability rights.
The State has failed in a preliminary application to have a judge rule on the justiciability of Senator Gerard Craughwell's constitutional challenge regarding an alleged secret arrangement with the UK. In a hearing before Mr Justice Brian Cregan, the judge refused the defendants' motion to determine the issue of law in advance of the full hearing. The State and the Government, represented as defendants, argued that the senator's claims were not justiciable and that reviewing matters of external security would endanger State security. However, the judge noted that the defendants had not accepted the facts as pleaded by the senator, specifically the existence of an alleged international agreement allowing the RAF to intercept aircraft in Irish airspace. Citing case law, the judge stated that acceptance of the plaintiff's case as pleaded is a precondition for a preliminary trial. He further observed that the senator's case was clearly stateable and not bound to fail, and that evidence was required before the court could reach a conclusion. The judge ruled that the application for the trial of the preliminary issue must be refused. The matter was adjourned for a week to allow the parties to consider the decision. Senator Craughwell, who claims the alleged agreement is unconstitutional and was never put before the Dáil, seeks declarations that the arrangement breaches the Irish Constitution and an order restraining the government from legislating on the matter without a referendum.
A school principal has filed a High Court judicial review to overturn a finding of poor professional performance issued by the Teacher's Council. The Council's finding stemmed from a 2019 incident in which a non‑verbal autistic pupil was allegedly shouted at and roughly handled by a teacher. The principal was accused of failing to inform the child's parents until June 2019, despite becoming aware of the matter in February. The Council's investigation concluded that the teacher was cleared, but the principal was found to have engaged in poor professional performance and was formally admonished. The principal argues the Council breached fair procedures, imposed an unjust sanction, and delayed the complaint by five years, causing prejudice and affecting his health. He seeks to quash the findings, declare the delay a rights breach, and prevent reinvestigation. The case is set to return to the High Court later this month.