In 1997, the Labour Court recommended consultant-scale pay for a Top Grade Biochemist jointly appointed by Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and St. James’s Hospital. The recommendation was dated 21 July 1997 and said he should receive the maximum of the professorial scale from July 1994, plus annual on-call and emergency call-out payments.
The Irish Hospital Consultants' Association sought the academic common contract for the claimant. TCD said the contract was restricted to medically qualified staff. The Court found the biochemist had consultant status and that his remuneration was inadequate, noting he did not receive on-call or emergency call-out payments.