Whistleblower teacher takes case against school

A “whistleblower” teacher who has made “grave” allegations against another teacher in the same girls’ secondary school is challenging his resulting treatment.

The case raises important issues about protections for whistleblowers. A High Court judge will on Thursday begin hearing the teacher’s bid for injunctions restraining disciplinary proceedings against him.

He is also claiming damages, including exemplary damages, over his treatment, including alleged intentional infliction of emotional damage.

The male teacher made allegations of “a grave nature” against another male teacher in the school, who emphatically rejected the claims, Mr Justice Paul Gilligan noted. Prior to the case opening, Marcus Dowling, counsel for the school, sought reporting restrictions to prevent publication of any material which might lead to identification of the school or any parties involved.

Declaration

He also made an application to restrict reporting on the allegations and the response to them.

The application to restrain publication of identifying material was supported by the plaintiff teacher, represented by Marguerite Bolger SC.

Mr Justice Gilligan heard the reporting restrictions application in private but, in his public ruling, said he would make orders restraining publication of any material which might identify any of the parties.

He made no order restraining publication of details of the allegations. The plaintiff teacher wants a declaration the disciplinary proceedings fail to have regard to provisions of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 and involve a threat of penalty in breach of the Act.

The judge said the court could intervene with the constitutional requirement for the public administration of justice if there was no other means to achieve a just determination.