Pair dismissed from Cork Film Festival relieved at settlement

The former CEO and programmer for the Cork Film Festival have expressed their relief after their unfair dismissal case against the company behind the event was settled yesterday.

Mick Hannigan, who was the director of the festival since 1986 and CEO since 2009, and Una Feely, who was appointed programmer in 2001 were dismissed from their posts in March 2013, with Cork Film Festival Ltd announcing that the decision to relieve the pair of their duties came “on foot of an independent strategic review”.

“The review showed that our current structure is simply unsustainable. As part of this, the positions of CEO and festival programmer have become redundant,” the festival board of management said in a statement at the time.

Last November the management of the festival defended its handling of the event after its accounts revealed the festival recorded losses of €136,000 in 2013, compared to a surplus of just over €5,000 in 2012.

A settlement was reached before the case was due to be heard at the Employment Appeals Tribunal in Cork yesterday.

“After two years and two months we are very happy to have it settled. It has been a long road but we are looking forward to pastures new,” Ms Feely said after the settlement was reached.

“We are relieved to have gotten to this point because of the Employment Appeals Tribunal and we are very grateful to our solicitor Eamon Murray for having faith in this case and bringing it to this conclusion,” Mr Hannigan said.

“We received great support and sympathy from the public for our situation.

“We are happy to draw a line under this and concentrate on IndieCork,” he said.

Ms Feely and Mr Hannigan went on from their roles at the Cork Film Festival to set up IndieCork, a festival dedicated to promoting independent productions, documentaries, and short films.

The festival is a co-operative organisation owned by its members, who in turn are shareholders who elect a management committee.

Mr Hannigan is a member on the jury of the forthcoming Hamburg Short Film Festival and he said he would be scouting the event for suitable films for IndieCork’s third annual event, from October 4 to 11.

The 60th Annual Cork Film Festival will run from November 6 to 15. Submissions for both festivals are now open.