Man finished marathon while out of work sick

A former mayor of Newbridge finished a marathon “in a fairly fast time” at a time he was claiming a chest infection prevented him from returning to his job, according to Kildare County Council.

Damian Molyneaux — an independent member of Newbridge Town Council — had his employment as caretaker of Newbridge Library terminated in June 2011 after he failed to return to work following almost two years on sick leave.

However, in response to the council’s claims, Siptu organiser Paul Henry said Mr Molyneaux “walked” the marathon after having had a medical procedure to clear up the infection.

A sitting of the Employment Appeals Tribunal in Dublin heard yesterday Mr Molyneaux was claiming he could not return to his €588 per week job because Kildare County Council did not address his complaints of bullying by a senior manager who is now retired.

The tribunal heard Mr Molyneaux, aged 46, of Roseberry, Newbridge, went on sick leave suffering from work-related stress in Aug 2009.

However, Eamonn O’Sullivan, the council’s director of services, said Mr Molyneaux’s allegations of bullying were unspecified and unsubstantiated. Mr O’Sullivan said it was impossible for the council to take the matter further in the absence of an actual complaint.

Christine O’Grady, the council’s personnel manager, said the council believed there was no medical reason preventing Mr Molyneaux’s return to work as he had “remained fully active in the community” and the matter was more an industrial relations issue.

Don Culliton, for Kildare County Council, said the local authority had dismissed him after he failed to return after their own medical assessors had deemed him fit for work.

The hearing was adjourned until next year.