The Workplace Relations Commission found David Shanahan was unfairly dismissed by Clonmel Chamber of Commerce Ltd County Tipperary Chamber and awarded him €20,000 compensation. The decision was dated 9 August 2022.
The Chamber said it dismissed Shanahan for gross misconduct, citing an unauthorised political post and member communication, personal credit card spending and cash withdrawals. Shanahan disputed the allegations, saying there was no clear media or credit card policy, that he had repaid the cash and that the disciplinary process was unfair.
Adjudication officer Ewa Sobanska found the dismissal was outside the range of reasonable responses and that the process fell short of procedural fairness. The Chamber had allowed flexibility over some expenses, changed the allegations after the process began and gave weight to a former treasurer’s statements while disregarding evidence that money had been returned to petty cash. The officer also criticised the suspension process and the failure to consider a lesser sanction.
The €20,000 compensation reflected Shanahan’s financial losses and his efforts to limit them. The officer noted that he made very limited attempts to mitigate his losses after restarting his business.