Courts

Templeogue College ‘compromises’ with teacher pursuing employment rights claim

Fourth teacher takes move against Spiritan-run boy’s secondary school in the last two years

The resolution follows an award of nearly €40,000 to another teacher who was penalised for putting her name to a staff grievance. Photograph: Colin Keegan/Collins
Stephen Bourke
Tue Jul 16 2024 - 16:53

Templeogue College has reached a “compromise” with the fourth teacher to pursue an employment rights claim against the Spiritan-run boys’ secondary school in the last two years.

It follows an award of nearly €40,000 to another teacher who was penalised for putting her name to a staff grievance.

The resolution was announced at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) on Tuesday morning as the tribunal was set to begin two days of hearings into a series of statutory complaints by the teacher, Darren O’Sullivan.

“I understand the parties have reached a compromise,” said adjudicator Penelope McGrath.

READ MORE

Owen Keany, appearing for the complainant, said: “The matter has been resolved. Both parties are very happy with the resolution.”

The school’s barrister, Rosemary Mallon, said there was “no difficulty” with a proposal that the complaints “remain alive” for five weeks pending implementation of the compromise arrangement.

No particulars of Mr O’Sullivan’s complaints against Templeogue College, nor the legislation under which they were brought, were made public at the brief hearing.

Mr O’Sullivan is the fourth teacher at the South Dublin secondary school to bring a claim in the last two years.

In November 2022, the school resolved claims of victimisation with two of its longest-serving teachers, Patricia O’Connell and Bríd Stack. The complaints were withdrawn before its former principal Niamh Quinn was called upon to give evidence.

They had alleged they were subjected to exclusionary treatment by the senior management team at the school because they made complaints of ageist discrimination. Ms O’Connell gave evidence that Ms Quinn had been “dismissive” to her and that she was “frozen out” for bringing her complaint. This was denied by the school.

Last month, the WRC awarded nearly €40,000 to a part-time Spanish teacher, Jennifer Clancy, after concluding that she had suffered “multiple and sustained acts of penalisation” for putting her name to a protected disclosure in the form of a collective staff grievance in early 2022.

The staff group had voiced concern about health and safety, the loss of staff facilities and student discipline at the South Dublin boys’ secondary school, the WRC heard. These included an alleged assault on one teacher and claims that a student had filmed another teacher’s “backside”.

Staff were told last Thursday that Ms Quinn had recently decided “to step down and move on from the school”. Ms Quinn declined to comment when contacted.