Kevin Ireland’s unfair dismissal appeal fails over late filing

The Labour Court dismissed Kevin Ireland’s appeal over an unfair dismissal complaint against Corrib Oil Company Unlimited Company T/A Corrib Oil, leaving the out-of-time ruling in place. The Court dated its determination 24 August 2022. Ireland resigned on 11 January 2019 and referred his complaint to the WRC on 22 December 2019. He said ongoing psychiatric injury had prevented him from filing within the six-month time limit. The employer relied on medical evidence that Ireland had returned to normal within six to eight months of leaving. The Court found no cogent reasons for the roughly eleven-and-a-half-month delay, noting he had secured alternative work before resigning and continued driving without issue. The merits of the unfair dismissal complaint were not decided.