Tribunal scrapped as witness related to panel member

AN Employment Appeals Tribunal into alleged bullying at one of the country’s largest disability agencies was scrapped yesterday after it emerged one of the Tribunal panel is related to a witness.

Louise McCormack, aged 47, managed a workshop for St Michael’s House in Dublin and had claimed that she was constructively dismissed as a result of bullying by other senior staff at the Santry premises.

Ms McCormack’s representatives had already written letters to the tribunal alleging they were not receiving a fair hearing at the tribunal, which was due to sit for its fourth day this year on Thursday.

However, the family, from Whitehall in Dublin, received notification last Thursday to attend the tribunal yesterday, at which it was revealed that one of the witnesses due to appear this week for St Michael’s House was related to a tribunal panel member.

Tribunal chairwoman Clodagh Gleeson said that the existing tribunal had been “compromised” after it emerged during the summer that a member of the panel was related to the St Michael’s House witness. She refused to identify the witness or name the member of the tribunal panel to whom that person is related. She said the person was “an acquaintance”, then that it was “a family member”, before adding the person was “a relation of one of the members” of the tribunal.

Ms McCormack’s husband and representative, Dr Bob McCormack, said the revelation had been distressing for the family and said the tribunal was now “absolutely compromised”.

“It must be evident that we could not get a fair hearing for some time,” he said.

Dr McCormack also questioned whether St Michael’s House had known of the compromising relationship since the first hearing in March, although this was denied by the chair.

“There is a lack of good faith here because St Michael’s House knew that all along,” Dr McCormack contended, adding later that the family believed it “could not get a fair hearing, and now it has been proven.

“We all have to start all over again, because someone from St Michael’s House did not own up.”

A fresh hearing will now have to begin, almost certainly in the New Year, when it will be expected to last for at least five days.