Labour Court upholds Dan Barry’s appeal, orders reinstatement and €2,500 compensation

The Labour Court upheld Dan Barry’s appeal against Dublin Institute of Technology and ordered it to reinstate him on a contract of indefinite duration and pay €2,500 compensation. The decision was signed on 12 November 2012. The Institute said Barry’s successive fixed-term contracts were for externally funded research projects. Barry said he worked in a research group that met a continuing need. The Court found the group was a permanent part of the Institute and that successive projects funded his work. It ruled the Institute had not established grounds to keep renewing fixed-term contracts instead of offering indefinite employment, and had failed to tell Barry in advance why it renewed his contract in May 2011.