National Stud inquiry sought after bullying revelations
Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith said he will await a report from the board on allegations made to him last week before taking any further action.
The Irish Examiner yesterday published an internal report which found bullying by the INS’s former chief executive John Clarke against its stallions nominations manager, Julie Lynch, had compromised its business.
The Labour Party’s agriculture spokesman Sean Sherlock said enough was now in the public domain to justify a more thorough inquiry.
“If the minister has asked for a report on the bullying allegations then the minister must also ask for a report on all aspects of the operations of the Irish National Stud.
“Because if this should happen again it could threaten the very viability of the business,” he said.
Last Monday, the Minister asked the chairman of the INS Board Chryss O’Reilly, wife of Tony O’Reilly, to furnish him with a report on the allegations of bullying.
A spokeswoman said despite the publication of the report by Finbarr Flood, ex-chairman of the Labour Court, in yesterday’s Irish Examiner, the minister would still wait until the board had come back to him.
It is understood the minister wants the report finalised as soon as possible.
Last summer, the INS received the Flood report. It found the bullying against Ms Lynch, which started after her affair with Mr Clarke ended, spilled over to impact on other senior management.
It also affected the business of the INS because the breakdown in the relationship between the two was well known in the industry.
“There has been significant involvement of senior management and, in recent times, the chairman and the [directors]. There is also the damage done to the INS by virtue of the fact that this problem seems to be fairly well known throughout the business,” Mr Flood said in the report.
Mr Clarke retired from his position as chief executive last Monday after 27 years with the company.
He was not required to work the last six months of his contract, by mutual agreement, and will paid more than €64,000 for this period.
