Reagan Chang, 53, of Clonee, Co Meath, pleaded guilty at Dún Laoghaire District Court to possessing a hammer and crowbar in a GO rental car in Dundrum on January 30, 2023. The case was brought under Section 9(4) of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990. Garda Brenda O'Brien testified that she found Chang asleep in the vehicle and that he initially claimed the items were for his own protection. In court, Chang denied making such a statement and offered no mitigation. Defence counsel Michael O'Brien BL suggested Chang had been looking for discarded wooden pallets, a claim Judge Anne Watkin described as arriving "out of the blue" and inconsistent with the Garda's account. Judge Watkin stated she did not believe Chang's evidence, noting the explanation for needing a crowbar and hammer for pallets made no sense. She remarked that Chang had provided no legitimate reason for possessing the items and suggested he may have been lying to either the Gardaí or the court. The judge indicated there was no evidence Chang felt threatened or in need of protection. The matter was adjourned for a full probation report, with Chang due back before the court on November 17.
In a High Court hearing, Anna Thomson‑Moore testified that John Magnier's Coolmore group had delivered €50,000 in cash in two brown envelopes to her husband's estate agent after a purported hand‑shake agreement for the Barne Estate. She described the envelopes as "incredibly tainted and dirty" and said she returned the money days later. Thomson‑Moore also claimed that Maurice Regan, who later outbid Magnier, had called her "professional bullies" and that Coolmore had been intimidating her. She denied deliberately withholding information that could have delayed the sale and said the estate had taken a commercial loan from a Regan company without any indemnity clause. The case, involving the Barne Estate, Thomson‑Moore, and IQEQ (Jersey) Ltd, remains before Mr Justice Max Barrett.
DHL has been ordered to pay €18,000 in redundancy compensation to Oscar Solano Fernandez, a warehouse worker who lost his job after refusing a transfer that would have required a five-hour commute. The Workplace Relations Commission upheld his complaint under the Redundancy Payments Act 1967, finding the relocation offer unreasonable. Mr Solano, who had worked at the Clondalkin warehouse for 15 years, argued that the new commute would interfere with his family responsibilities. DHL had offered a relocation package, including a €1,000 bonus and €5,000 in Perx vouchers, but the WRC ruled that the alternative job was not reasonable. The adjudication officer found that Mr Solano was entitled to a redundancy payment based on his weekly wages and years of service. The company denied claims that it sought to avoid redundancy payments by keeping workers nominally employed. The decision rejected claims of unfair dismissal and discrimination based on family status.
Michael Ward, 33, and Melissa Collins, 26, pleaded guilty to theft in a south Dublin accommodation fraud case. Ward admitted stealing €1,800 from a bank account between 9 and 18 September 2022, while Collins admitted stealing €600 from a bank account on 27 July 2022. Both pleaded before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after reaching an agreement with the Director of Public Prosecutions. The case involves fraud against international students. A sentence hearing is scheduled for 24 November.
The High Court has granted TikTok permission to challenge a €530 million fine imposed by the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) regarding the alleged transfer of European users' personal data to China. Ms Justice Mary Rose Gearty granted leave for the judicial review and adjourned the matter to October. The application was brought by TikTok Technology Limited and TikTok Information Technologies UK Limited against the DPC, Ireland, and the Attorney General. The applicants argue that the administrative fines of €485 million and €45 million constitute a 'penal' or criminal sanction, rendering the relevant sections of the Data Protection Act unconstitutional and incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. They further contend that the DPC was not exercising limited judicial powers and that the fines disproportionately interfere with their right to private property under the Constitution. The DPC originally imposed the fine and a censure on April 30, 2025, citing infringements related to remote access to data stored in the US and Singapore by personnel in China. The court placed a stay on the DPC's decisions pending the outcome of the legal review. The matter was adjourned to October.
At the High Court, Ms Justice Mary Rose Gearty granted an application for leave brought by Paul McGarry SC for retired Donegal garda sergeant Paul Wallace, adjourning the matter to October. Mr Wallace, of Burtonport, is seeking judicial review against the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána over their alleged failure to determine his January 2023 application to restore his Gaeltacht allowance. He claims this inaction breaches fair procedures and prevents him from pursuing internal appeals. Mr Wallace alleges that his pension entitlements are affected, resulting in a claimed loss of €8,708.17 from his gratuity and €249.38 monthly from his pension. He states he served in Gaeltacht areas, including Glencolmcille and Bun Beag, and later in Letterkenny, which was designated a 'Gaeltacht service town' in 2020. Despite reapplying in 2023, he retired in March 2024 without a decision. The court did not conclude the case; it was adjourned.
The High Court heard evidence in the ongoing dispute between John Magnier and Richard Thomson-Moore regarding a purported €15 million handshake deal for 751 acres in Co Tipperary. Anna Thomson-Moore, wife of the defendant, testified that the family was forced to take out a commercial loan to defend the case, describing the proceedings as an "onslaught" that delayed their plans to move to Australia for their son's care. She alleged that estate agent John Stokes conveyed a threat from Mr Magnier to pursue "litigation for years" at a cost of "millions" if the land were sold to others. Ms Thomson-Moore stated that the defendants had informed Mr Magnier that any agreement was subject to trustee consent, a condition Mr Magnier denies was mentioned. She also detailed receiving two brown envelopes containing €50,000 in cash from JP Magnier, which the family subsequently returned. The Magnier side characterised the cash as a token of appreciation. The defendants, including the Barne Estate and three IQEQ (Jersey) Ltd companies, deny any binding agreement existed, noting they ultimately preferred a higher offer from non-party Maurice Regan. The case continues before Mr Justice Max Barrett.
Keith O'Brien, 49, of Lowvalley, Crossmolina, Co Mayo, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to a single count of dangerous driving causing the death of James Moyles, 33. The incident occurred on Lord Edward Street, Ballina, Co Mayo, on February 20, 2024. The plea was entered before Judge Eoin Garavan. The court noted that Mr O'Brien has no previous convictions and is a working father of two. The matter is currently at the sentencing stage, with the judge deferring the imposition of a penalty to allow for the preparation of a probation report. Consequently, the case was adjourned, and Mr O'Brien faces sentencing on October 23 of this year. No final sentence or disposal has been recorded at this procedural stage. The report attributes the allegation of dangerous driving to the prosecution, which the defendant admitted. The summary reflects the validated procedural stage of sentencing and the specific adjournment for a probation report, ensuring no accusation is presented as a final conviction beyond the guilty plea.
Thomas Delaney, who had worked for NSP Expert Lab Solutions for over eight years, was dismissed in May 2024 after a phone conversation with the company's HR chief was recorded and later sent to the CEO. Delaney claimed the call was confidential and that he had not consented to its recording. He represented himself at a Workplace Relations Commission hearing in August 2024, arguing that the disciplinary process was flawed, lacked transparency, and gave him no chance to respond to allegations. The company's solicitor argued that the recording constituted a protected disclosure and that the dismissal for gross misconduct was justified. The tribunal found that Delaney had been denied a fair hearing, awarded €10,000 in compensation for loss of earnings, and noted his 14‑week period of unemployment without evidence of job‑search efforts.
In the High Court, Anna Thomson-Moore, the wife of applicant Richard Thomson-Moore, testified that the family sold the Barne Estate in County Tipperary to facilitate a move to Australia for their five-year-old son's healthcare needs. She stated that local services were under-resourced, while Australia offered individualised budgets for their son's diagnoses, requiring physical presence. The testimony was given in the case brought by respondent John Magnier, who alleges a handshake agreement was reached in August 2023 for the 751-acre estate at €15 million. Magnier claims the deal was broken when the estate was sold to Maurice Regan for €22.25 million. The Barne defendants, including Richard Thomson-Moore and three IQEQ (Jersey) Ltd companies, deny any such agreement existed, asserting that trustee consent was required and that they ultimately chose to sell to Regan. Ms. Thomson-Moore, a trained lawyer, told the court that she informed Magnier the sale was a family decision involving trustees. The case, heard before Mr Justice Max Barrett, continues with the Magnier side seeking to enforce the purported deal.
In a tribunal hearing, the University Hospital Limerick (UHL) was found to have taken more than 18 months to apologise to Michael O'Dowd, a disabled patient who alleged that staff laughed at him and made jokes during personal care. O'Dowd, who used a lightwriter to speak, claimed that a nurse and two healthcare assistants made jokes about him on 7 June 2022, that staff failed to listen to his requests, and that he was almost dropped from a wheelchair after 12 days of bed rest. He first complained on 7 July 2022, and the hospital's Patient Advocacy Liaison Service was involved, but he did not receive an investigation report or apology until 16 January 2024. The Workplace Relations Commission ruled that O'Dowd was out of time to pursue a discrimination complaint and that there was no breach of the act regarding the delay.
Karl Hegarty, former principal of Leinster Senior College, lost his unfair dismissal claim after the Workplace Relations Commission found that he had destroyed work diaries during an investigation into a rival grinds business he ran. The WRC held that Hegarty's destruction of the diaries "entirely undermined his credibility" and that he had been dismissed for gross misconduct, including setting up a competing school. Hegarty argued he had permission to provide private career guidance and that his business added to the college's profile, but the school's owner said he had no knowledge of the venture until late 2022. The tribunal noted Hegarty had been suspended on full pay during the investigation and that he offered to cease trading after the suspension. The adjudicator concluded that dismissal was an appropriate sanction and rejected Hegarty's complaint.
A Palestinian man living in the West Bank has applied to the High Court for an order to quash a February 2025 Garda decision not to investigate a complaint that Israeli settlers had barred him from his land, built cabins on it, and advertised those cabins for rent on an Irish‑registered website. The man, whose identity was anonymised by the court, is joined by the Palestinian rights group Sadaka – The Ireland Palestine Alliance Limited. The applicants allege that the website's booking of the cabins constitutes a crime, claiming the site is an accessory to transfer, appropriation and money laundering. They argue that the cabins were still advertised online as of May 2025 and that the Israeli Defence Forces had prevented the man from accessing his land since the late 1990s, a situation that continued until 2004 when settlers began construction.
Neil Murray, 47, of Kilnamanagh, pleaded guilty to producing a hammer in a manner likely to intimidate under Section 11 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990, after an alleged altercation involving his son. He brought the hammer to a house on 3 July 2024, claiming it was a reaction to his son being assaulted by a boy who was not yet an adult. Garda David Dunne reported that Murray was fully cooperative with police. Murray's solicitor, Kevin Tunney, described him as a construction worker who overreacted out of concern for his son and now accepts that his response was wrong. He has a prior conviction for knife possession in 2005. Judge Vincent Deane asked him if he had ever heard of the Guards, questioned his future conduct, and secured a sworn promise not to repeat the offence. Murray paid €300 to the Little Blue Heroes charity.
The Workplace Relations Commission rejected Vitor Oliveira's equality claim that St Vincent's Hospital's requirement for an Irish‑recognised accountancy qualification was discriminatory. Oliveira, who had worked at the hospital from 2017 to 2024, applied for a senior finance manager role in April 2024 but was not shortlisted because the job specification listed only the ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualifications. He argued that this barred candidates with equivalent non‑Irish qualifications, citing his Brazilian qualification and its international recognition. The tribunal found the requirement was objectively justified to meet specific regulatory needs at a senior accountant level and that the hospital had provided support for Oliveira's studies. Consequently, the tribunal concluded that no discrimination on the basis of race had occurred. The decision was published on 4 July 2025.
A former boarding supervisor at Ireland's only Irish-language boarding school has secured €12,000 in compensation after being let go when the school transitioned to day pupils only. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) upheld multiple statutory complaints by Antóin Ó Dúllaing against Gaelachas Teo, the school's patron. Ó Dúllaing worked as a supervisor at Choláiste an Phiarsaigh and Scoil na nÓg until the boarding facility closed in May 2024. He claimed he was not given notice of the closure or statutory redundancy, and was underpaid by €20,912.67 over nine years of service. He also alleged breaches of the National Minimum Wage Act, Organisation of Working Time Act, and other employment rights. Gaelachas Teo argued that Ó Dúllaing did not meet the 104 weeks' continuous service requirement for statutory redundancy and that supervisors were informed of the decision to suspend boarding services.
Siddarth Thirunavukkarasu, a shop supervisor at Circle K's Belgard filling station in Tallaght, brought a complaint under the Employment Equality Act 1998 alleging gender‑based harassment after his manager, Julita Howe, allegedly told him to "be a man" and forced him to supervise a homeless man cleaning a bathroom that had been contaminated with faeces. Thirunavukkarasu claimed he was made to watch the homeless man clean the toilet with bare hands, was threatened with Garda reporting if he did not comply, and was instructed to give the man gloves and a blue towel while holding the door open. He reported nausea and discomfort from the smell and refused to continue, but Howe allegedly replied "Come on, be a man." The Workplace Relations Commission found no evidence of discrimination or victimisation but accepted that the remark constituted harassment, ordering Circle K to pay €1,000 in compensation.
A shop worker, Artur Czopek, who claimed he faced racial discrimination after being excluded from workplace gift collections for birthdays and significant events, has lost his case. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) rejected his complaint under the Employment Equality Act 1998 against TJX Ireland Unlimited, which operates as TK Maxx. Czopek, a Polish part-time sales assistant in Newbridge, Co Kildare, alleged that an assistant manager only selected Irish employees for the collections, excluding non-Irish workers. He stated that after complaining to the store manager, Scott Cooper, in 2024, the practice continued. The tribunal heard that the collections were for milestone birthdays and work anniversaries, and that non-Irish employees, including a Latvian, Polish, and Russian worker, had received gifts. Adjudicator Bríd Deering found that the evidence did not support claims of racial discrimination, noting that beneficiaries included various nationalities and that Czopek's complaints lacked sufficient evidence.
In a tribunal hearing, the Workplace Relations Commission ruled that Free Now Ireland Ltd could not be held liable for the conduct of a taxi driver who allegedly spat at passenger Amit Chawla on 17 March 2024 at Heuston Station. Chawla, an Irish citizen of Indian origin who uses a walking stick, claimed the driver made discriminatory remarks about his race, disability and sexual orientation, and refused service. The driver reportedly identified Chawla by his walking stick, asked if he was Indian, made comments about his sexuality, and after hanging up shouted further remarks before spitting. Free Now's lawyers argued the company had no responsibility for self‑employed drivers, citing the Taxi Regulation Act 2013. The tribunal found Free Now had no control over the driver and that vicarious liability did not arise, rejecting the complaint as fundamentally flawed. The company had only provided a booking and payment platform. The decision was delivered by adjudication officer Maire Mulcahy.
The High Court lifted an anonymity order, allowing Trinity College Dublin and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland to be named in a legal action by a pharmaceutical student who was found to have plagiarised a colleague's work. The student, who remains anonymous, had previously faced two findings of plagiarism and was not placed before a fitness‑to‑practice committee. He is now pursuing action against the Provost, Fellows and Scholars of Trinity College and the Society. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Garrett Simons, allowed the naming of the respondents but upheld the student's anonymity. The student, in his 20s and two exams from qualification, argues that the fitness‑to‑practice review is unfair for a student and that his academic errors were unintentional. The matter is adjourned to 20 October. The student's legal team maintains that the university's policy treats plagiarism under disciplinary regulations, not fitness‑to‑practice.
Wayne Judge, 33, a repeat offender with 123 prior convictions, had his five‑month custodial sentence for criminal damage on July 28 2023 replaced by a fully suspended ten‑month term on appeal. Judge had previously pleaded guilty in the District Court to five counts of criminal damage, one count of theft, one of trespassing and one of public intoxication. The offences involved smashing windows of an Audi, a Renault Kadjar, a Toyota and a second Toyota, and stealing a pair of Ray‑Ban sunglasses. The incidents occurred on Hampton Wood Court, Mayeston Rise and Hampton Wood Road in Finglas, and a taxi in Dubbercoss. Judge's sentence was made consecutive to a two‑year custodial term he is currently serving for another matter. The appeal court, after hearing the case, imposed a ten‑month suspended sentence to be supervised by the probation service for two years.
A domestic‑violence charity was ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission to pay its former finance manager nearly €35,000 after he was dismissed for voicing concerns that the charity's accounts might not survive an audit. The manager, a chartered accountant, had joined the charity as an independent contractor in June 2023 and became a staff member on 30 September. He emailed the chief executive on 27 October 2023 requesting extra time to investigate a draft loss of €33,000 and to correct accounting anomalies. The CEO responded the next day, and the manager was terminated on 2 November 2023. The WRC found the dismissal was "wholly or mainly" due to the manager's protected disclosure and awarded him €34,737 in compensation. The charity's identity was kept confidential to protect victims of domestic abuse from negative publicity. The case was heard in a private tribunal.
Hundreds of TikTok staff in Ireland were given competency tests in November 2023 without knowing the results would be used to decide redundancy in spring 2024. The Workplace Relations Commission heard that the tests covered 100 pieces of content and were scored against official moderation outcomes. A former content‑moderation team leader, Mohur Saleh, lost his job after scoring 32.25 points, 0.75 below the 33‑point cut‑off. Saleh argued he was unfairly selected because the test, which he failed, was part of the redundancy scoring system, and because his performance ratings were disputed. TikTok's senior manager said the tests were deliberately kept secret to avoid cheating, and that the pass mark was 51 out of 100. Saleh's case is still under adjudication by the WRC.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 26 June 2025, Keith Walsh, aged 34, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his 64‑year‑old mother, Maura Walsh, at their Cabra home on 22 August 2024. The court heard that Walsh had repeatedly punched his mother's head, pinned her against a wall, and held his hands around her neck during a "meltdown" over a cigarette. Garda Aaron McGrath reported that Walsh had been intoxicated when arrested and that the mother had withdrawn her statement after the incident. Walsh's defence counsel described a background of alcohol and drug use, mental health struggles, and a history of work for Red Bull and in construction. Judge Martina Baxter noted the aggravating nature of the assault, urged Walsh to address his addiction, and adjourned sentencing to November to allow probation services to assess his risk. The court did not yet impose a sentence.
Re-Turn Ireland has failed in a bid to have a discrimination case brought by Pat McCarthy thrown out at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The tribunal issued a preliminary ruling rejecting the respondent's application to dismiss the claim as misconceived. Mr McCarthy, a blind man, alleged he is disadvantaged by the deposit return scheme because he cannot read markings indicating whether containers are included. He stated that at an Aldi store in Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, he was unable to locate or use a reverse vending machine or identify the Re-Turn logo. Re-Turn Ireland, trading as Deposit Return Scheme Ireland CLG, denied the statutory complaint under the Equal Status Act 2000. Its lawyers argued the WRC lacked jurisdiction and that Re-Turn was not providing a service to the public, but merely managing the scheme as a government-approved body. Adjudication officer Brian Dalton found it "very clear" that the respondent determines how the scheme works, prescribes logos and bar codes, and approves reverse vending machines. He concluded that Mr McCarthy made out an arguable case that the body is providing a service by prescribing how the scheme is accessed. The complaint was found not to be misconceived and will be set down for a hearing of the substantive matter.
A worker at Arranmore Island co-operative in County Donegal has failed in a constructive dismissal claim before the Workplace Relations Commission. Fiona Glynn alleged she was forced to resign following a public remark by the then-chairperson concerning "cute hoorism", which she characterised as undermining and divisive. The co-operative, which operates sporting facilities, holiday homes, a café and a cultural centre on the island, denied the complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. Adjudicator Conor Stokes rejected the claim, finding that Ms Glynn did not exhaust the organisation's formal grievance procedure before resigning in August 2022. The adjudicator noted that Ms Glynn deleted thousands of emails from the employer's systems prior to departure, which undermined her position. He concluded she was not unfairly dismissed.
A High Court judge has deferred judgment on the State's application to overturn a December order quashing a statutory instrument used to fast-track emergency accommodation development at Lissywollen in Athlone, County Westmeath. Ms Justice Emily Farrell said she would await draft legislation from the Oireachtas aimed at remedying a procedural breach concerning environmental assessments. The judge acknowledged the vulnerability of residents at the facility and stated the Minister has an obligation to provide alternative accommodation or demonstrate efforts to do so. She imposed restrictions on the centre, permitting only essential maintenance and prohibiting new admissions beyond those accommodated in February. The State submitted that closure risks homelessness among asylum seekers currently residing there. The judicial review was brought by Independent Ireland councillor Paul Hogan, who successfully argued the expedited development process was unlawful. The matter was adjourned to 21 July, with the judge directing that resident numbers be substantially reduced by that date.
Patrick O'Connor, a 75‑year‑old Peace Commissioner, pleaded guilty to providing false information under the Companies Act for forging the signatures of two co‑directors when forming JP&P Property Limited, a shepherd hut glamping business. He claimed he had no time to obtain the signatures in person and forged them with their consent. The forged signatures were discovered by Corporate Enforcement Authority officers investigating a separate breach of the Companies Act. One of the forged signatories had been disqualified from acting as a company director. O'Connor's company never commenced trading. He has a small number of prior road traffic convictions. The case was initially before the District Court, but the judge declined jurisdiction and adjourned the matter for finalisation on 9 July. The court noted O'Connor's roles as a Peace Commissioner, architectural engineer, and local GAA and charity worker. The proceedings remain at the pleading stage.
In a case heard by the Workplace Relations Commission, Catarina Cardoso, a live‑in carer for a Galway resident with advanced dementia, claimed that her employer, Ross Jenkins, unlawfully withheld her final wages. Cardoso had resigned on 23 August 2024, citing anxiety and carer burnout, and had given the family four days' notice. Jenkins argued that Cardoso's abrupt departure left the vulnerable patient alone for nearly 24 hours, jeopardised medication administration, and caused the family to scramble for emergency assistance. The commission found no contractual provision allowing wage deductions and no written notice of any alleged misconduct. Consequently, the adjudicating officer ordered Jenkins to pay Cardoso €1,650.78 within six weeks, ruling the withholding unlawful. The decision focused solely on the wage issue, with no reference to the patient's care or any other matters.
In a High Court hearing, the State applied for a stay on a December order that quashed the use of a statutory instrument to fast-track the development of a refugee facility at Lissywollen, Athlone. The applicant, Independent Ireland Westmeath Councillor Paul Hogan, had previously secured a finding that the expedited development was unlawful due to inadequate environmental screening and a lack of ministerial expertise. Hogan alleged the process was unlawful, irrational, and breached fair procedures. The State's counsel, Aoife Carroll SC, argued that closing the facility posed a serious risk to the dignity and safety of asylum seekers, noting that 137 residents remained. She described the conceded breach as procedural rather than substantial and stated that corrective legislation was imminent. Counsel for Hogan, Oisín Collins SC, countered that the State should use existing planning laws and enforcement notices rather than seeking a stay. Justice Emily Farrell heard the arguments and adjourned the matter, indicating she would deliver her judgment on the stay application on Wednesday.
In a decision by the Workplace Relations Commission, a video‑technology company was ordered to pay a salesman €27,429 in wages that had been illegally withheld. The salesman, who joined the firm in April 2023 on a €75,000 base salary and up to €55,000 commission, resigned in August 2024. He claimed that his wages were repeatedly unpaid or partially paid from November 2023 through June 2024, and that he was promised payment that never materialised. He presented emails and WhatsApp messages from senior executives confirming the amounts owed. The company had paid two months' wages after a loan in August 2024 but failed to settle the remaining balance. The WRC found the company had made an illegal deduction and directed it to pay the full amount under the Payment of Wages Act 1991. The decision anonymised the parties to encourage a swift resolution without publicity.
Eddie Irwin, a senior adviser to John Magnier, has denied being kept in the loop regarding the tax affairs of the Barne Estate, which Magnier sought to purchase. Irwin, who has worked with Magnier for 40 years, rejected being described as the billionaire's 'fixer' or 'right-hand man'. He stated that Coolmore Stud, which Magnier founded, does not use such titles. The case involves Magnier's claim that Maurice Regan, a US-based construction magnate, outbid him for the 751-acre estate in Tipperary. Irwin said he was contacted by the Thomson-Moore family, who own the estate through a Jersey trust, to provide tax advice. He claimed that a KPMG tax expert was consulted, but he did not attend the meeting. Irwin denied that he received an 'off-the-record' report from the expert, as alleged by counsel. He also expressed concerns that the tax issue raised by the Thomson-Moores was brought up just before the end of an exclusivity agreement.
In a 2025 decision, the Workplace Relations Commission dismissed a complaint that a supermarket had discriminated against two Traveller children who tried to pay €68 in loose change. The father alleged the cashier refused service because of their Traveller identity. The WRC found the claim "not well founded." The cashier testified that she scanned the purchases, counted €26.80 in coins, and asked the children if they had larger coins or notes, citing a busy queue. She said she was not refusing payment but seeking a more convenient method. The supermarket owner intervened, offering the father options to count coins or use batches, but the father left. The WRC noted that no law requires a cashier to accept more than 50 coins in a single transaction and that the cashier's request was reasonable. The complaint was dismissed.
In a case heard by the Workplace Relations Commission, bar manager Devendrasingh 'Ryan' Boodhun of the Schoolhouse Hotel was dismissed on 4 July 2023 after the hotel alleged he was adding a 10% service charge to tables that were not entitled to it. Boodhun denied the accusations, describing them as "unfounded and untrue." The hotel's policy was to apply the charge to tables of eight or more, with the option for the party to object. Evidence from former general manager Jeff Cronin suggested that Boodhun had been instructed to add the charge and distribute it to staff. The WRC found the dismissal was "procedurally unfair" but that the hotel had acted reasonably in ending his employment. An adjudicator awarded Boodhun €8,000 in redress under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. The decision noted that additional matters were raised for the first time during the disciplinary meeting and that there was significant cross‑contamination between those responsible for the investigation.
At the Workplace Relations Commission, a senior NCAD administrator revealed that about 32% of the college's 1,400 students self‑declared additional needs. The testimony focused on Ellie Dunne, a 25‑year‑old artist with Down Syndrome who enrolled in September 2023 as the first student with that condition at NCAD. Dunne failed a first‑year module and the college could not "wipe the slate clean"; instead it offered her a re‑sit without penalty and increased support‑worker hours from two to five days a week. Dunne's parents, who felt the college had discriminated against her, threatened to damage the college's reputation. The college's director and head of academic affairs explained the college's accommodation policies and the procedural steps taken, and the case was adjourned to further hearings in October.
The High Court ruled that three houses linked to Kieran Keane Jr., son of the slain Limerick gangster Kieran Keane Sr., were proceeds of crime, as were three cars and €101,000 in an AIB account. The court accepted Garda evidence that Keane Jr. was a "driving force" in organised crime. Receivers were appointed to two of the three houses, the cars and the bank account. The properties and account were allegedly used by Keane Jr., believed to be in Dubai or Spain, and his girlfriend Laura Flanagan, who lived in Garryowen, Limerick. CAB forensic analysis showed trips to Lithuania, Spain, Dubai and Lapland between 2010 and 2019, and no clear source of income for Keane Jr. and Flanagan. The judge noted that the properties were acquired in cash under the table and that the AIB account lacked regular expenditure records.
In a case heard at the Central Criminal Court, a 13‑year‑old boy from a rural area pleaded guilty to six counts of oral rape, nine counts of producing child pornography and five counts of distributing such material, all involving his six‑year‑old sister. He had accessed the internet unsupervised from a very early age and admitted first viewing pornography at six. The boy uploaded 64 images of the child to the social platform Discord, which were traced to the family's home. The sister, now eight, gave a victim impact statement expressing that she feels happier and that her foster family feels like home, but she remains scared of her brother's actions. The judge noted the long‑term impact of the images being online and adjourned the case to July 21 for further reports. The boy was placed in a residential treatment centre for minors who sexually offend. The children were taken into care the same day.
Lisa Deveney, a former premium spirits marketing manager at Coca Cola HBC Ireland Ltd, claimed she was bullied into accepting a demotion to a junior lead role after returning from her second maternity leave in January 2024. She said the company had denied her return to her previous position and offered a new role that she felt was a demotion, citing differences in responsibility, strategic versus operational duties, and lack of budget management. Deveney suffered an acute stress reaction and a panic attack, ultimately resigning in March 2024. The Workplace Relations Commission found Coca Cola in breach of the Employment Equality Act 1998, awarding Deveney €68,000 in compensation for gender‑based maternity discrimination. The tribunal concluded the new role was a demotion and that the employer had decided to move her without offering alternatives.
St James's Hospital issued a public apology to trans woman Paige Behan after she reported an unsatisfactory emergency department experience on 16 August 2024, following illness after gender‑affirming surgery abroad. The hospital acknowledged a gap in care pathways for patients returning from overseas gender surgery and expressed regret for the distress caused. A statutory complaint alleging discrimination under the Equal Status Act 2000 was brought by Behan, but the matter was resolved by agreement before adjudication. The resolution required only a public statement, which was read by the hospital's counsel. The hospital committed to meeting with the Transgender Equality Network Ireland to discuss concerns and improve services for similar patients. The adjudication officer noted the withdrawal of the complaint and praised the parties' cooperation in reaching an agreement.
An airline was ordered to pay €7,500 to a passenger who was denied an exit‑row seat he had booked for extra legroom after disclosing his autism. The Workplace Relations Commission found the airline had discriminated against him under the Equal Status Act and had harassed him by repeatedly asking him to explain his disability in front of other passengers. The passenger had requested special assistance in advance, citing difficulties with queuing and the need for space for his sleep‑apnea machine. When he arrived to check in for his return flight, the airline moved him out of the exit‑row seat, citing his disability. He was placed in the second row and could not move his legs freely. The airline's lawyers argued that safety regulations barred passengers with disabilities from exit‑row seats, but the tribunal concluded the regulations only restrict seating when a passenger's mobility poses a safety risk.
At the Workplace Relations Commission, Atlantic Technological University has been ordered to pay an assistant lecturer €1,640.88 following a complaint under the Payment of Wages Act 1991. The university had offered Ian Thornton a €15.25 stipend per dissertation for correcting eight postgraduate dissertations at its Sligo campus last summer, totalling €122. Mr Thornton contended that each dissertation required three hours of work and that he was entitled to his contractual hourly rate of €68.37, which would have yielded substantially more. Adjudication officer Brian Dalton found that the university's contractual terms remained applicable when Mr Thornton provided the services beyond the formal end date of his fixed-term contract. The tribunal determined that the non-payment of wages at the contracted hourly rate constituted an illegal deduction. The university was directed to pay the full amount subject to relevant statutory deductions.
Brian Carroll, 24, pleaded guilty to possession of MDMA and cannabis after his girlfriend died following drug use at the Forbidden Fruit festival and later at a house in south Dublin. Gardaí seized €44 of cannabis, €16.14 of MDMA and a small amount of cocaine, all for personal use. Carroll, who had been in a relationship with the deceased for two and a half years, voluntarily presented himself to Gardaí and has not been involved with the police since. He has engaged in trauma counselling, tested negative for drugs in recent months, remained in full‑time employment and volunteered during the pandemic. Judge Conor Fottrell, after considering the tragic circumstances and Carroll's remorse and recovery steps, decided not to impose a conviction, noting the low value of the drugs and the absence of prior convictions. The case concluded with a €1,000 charitable donation.
A tribunal awarded a reduced sum to Janine Halpin, a part‑time Penneys retail assistant, after finding she was largely responsible for her own dismissal. Halpin was sacked for gross misconduct at the Tallaght store on 5 June 2024. She had replied with two "crying laughing" emojis to a colleague's threat to "skull drag" a manager in the private WhatsApp group "052 Madness". The tribunal noted that Halpin had previously received a final written warning in October 2023 for using foul language and refusing a management instruction. The investigation was criticised for giving her only 30 minutes' notice of a meeting, which the adjudicator described as an ambush. The tribunal reduced the compensation by 70 % and directed Primark to pay €1,277.64, less than four weeks' gross wages, rather than the four months' pay sought by her union. The case was heard under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, the tribunal upheld the dismissal of Annette Ryan, a part‑time evening shift supervisor at Waterford Hospital's catering team, after she denied allegations of racial abuse and bullying. Ryan was sacked in September 2023 following complaints from four subordinates that she had used a racially charged remark, "you're not Irish, you're black," and other discriminatory language. She maintained that the accusations were fabricated, claiming she had never made such remarks and that she had worked with colleagues from diverse backgrounds for 13 years. The tribunal found that the employer, Campbell Catering Ltd trading as Aramark, had reached credible and reasonable conclusions during its disciplinary process, and that Ryan's dismissal was fair under the circumstances. The decision was made after Ryan's repeated denials and lack of mitigating explanations during the investigation and hearing. The tribunal dismissed her complaint and confirmed the fairness of the sanction.
In a workplace dispute that began in spring 2019, a black French baker alleged he was bullied by predominantly Polish colleagues at an unnamed food and drinks company because he did not speak Polish. The baker claimed he was threatened, isolated, and subjected to a racial slur in Polish on 23 June 2019. He did not understand the slur until it was translated months later, after which he filed a second complaint with the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The WRC rejected most of his claims under the Employment Equality Act 1998 but found the employer liable for the racial slur incident. The adjudicator, Andrew Heavey, awarded the baker €4,000 in compensation for the discrimination, while dismissing all other claims. The decision, published on 26 May 2025, followed four hearings between April 2021 and November 2024 and noted significant delays due to postponements, pandemic, and illness.
Caitriona Nic Aodha, a financial advisor with AFS Wealth Management, was dismissed in July 2024 without notice or an opportunity to respond to bullying allegations. The Workplace Relations Commission found she was denied a fair chance to challenge the claims, which were based on alleged remarks about the company's future and a medical issue. The CEO, Victor France, deemed the remarks an "instantly sackable offence" and suspended her on full pay before terminating her. The WRC ruled the dismissal unlawful under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, awarding her €45,000 in compensation, €3,460 for notice pay, and additional sums for lost earnings, redundancy, and pension benefits. The decision highlighted the right to a full and fair opportunity to state one's case in disciplinary proceedings.
In a High Court hearing on 4 June 2025, David Wachman, son‑in‑law of John Magnier, denied that Coolmore used a "ruse" by employing third parties to bid on a 751‑acre Tipperary farm before allegedly "low‑balling" the sellers with a €10 million offer. Wachman said it was "common practice" to start bids below a vendor's valuation to control expectations. He explained that Coolmore had an exclusivity agreement from 31 August to 30 September 2023, during which the Barne Estate could not solicit offers from anyone other than Coolmore. The estate, held by a Jersey trust for Richard Thomson‑Moore, rejected the alleged deal and sold the land to US construction magnate Maurice Regan for €22.25 million. Regan is not a party to the case. The hearing continues before Mr Justice Max Barrett.
Brian Early, a 54‑year‑old from Newbridge, pleaded guilty to theft, possession of stolen property and possession of certain articles in two incidents in February 2024. He stole 17 bottles of spirits worth about €700 from Dunnes Stores, removing security tags with wire cutters and making a small purchase to appear legitimate. Two bottles of Bombay Sapphire gin were recovered. Early admitted the theft was to repay a drug debt, citing a serious crack cocaine addiction that worsened after a five‑year cancer battle and his father's death. He has been clean for 10 months, has not attended a formal drug programme but has sought support from Pieta House following a mental‑health crisis, and receives a disability allowance. Judge Conor Fottrell, considering the guilty plea, personal circumstances and support engagement, imposed a 12‑month probation bond requiring Early to keep the peace and continue engaging with Pieta House and any further counselling.
In a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing, 39‑year‑old Shane Flanagan of Co Clare pleaded guilty to two counts of inciting men to rape a woman between November and December 2020, and to six counts of endangerment for impersonating the woman on Facebook and Fetlife.com, inviting violence that posed a substantial risk of death or serious harm between 2018 and 2020. He also pleaded guilty to one count of possession of four images of child sexual abuse material. The hearing was adjourned for two weeks after the court was informed that Flanagan had been admitted to hospital earlier that week. A medical report was submitted, and the judge ordered an updated report before the case is mentioned again later in the month. The complainant, who wishes to remain anonymous, was informed of the adjournment. The case remains pending pending the updated medical report.