Ex-prison officer loses tribunal claim

A FORMER prison officer has lost a claim that he was unfairly fired from his job after abandoning his post while minding a prisoner in hospital and having illegal drugs found at his home a few hours later by gardaí.

The Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) ruled that the Irish Prison Service had followed correct procedures over its decision to dismiss prison officer Nigel Walshe of The Hermitage, Portlaoise, Co Laois, following the two incidents on September 7, 2007.

The tribunal said there were substantial grounds justifying Mr Walshe’s dismissal based on the evidence before the inquiry.