WRC says it had no jurisdiction over Mater Hospital penalisation complaint

The Workplace Relations Commission said it had no jurisdiction to hear Ms Jean Harrington’s penalisation complaint against Mater Hospital because it was filed outside the statutory time limit. The decision was dated 24 July 2024. Harrington said she had raised health and safety matters internally and was waiting for a response. The hospital disputed her claim and raised time-limit and res judicata objections. The adjudication officer found no alleged act of penalisation within the six-month period and no reasonable cause to extend it. The separate res judicata issue was not considered. The merits were not decided.