A senior chemistry lecturer in the Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) was treated unfairly and irrationally by the institute's selection board when he applied for a promotion, the Labour Court has found.
Mr Seán Ó Muircheartaigh had alleged to the court that he was "blatantly victimised, by person or persons unknown".
A senior lecturer at GMIT, Mr Ó Muircheartaigh applied for a position among 23 promotional places in February 2000. He was among 32 applicants interviewed, but was not successful.
He received an unprecedented zero mark in academic leadership, where, according to his submission to the court, there were "no criteria, no notes and no explanation" despite having an outstanding record of achievement in teaching, research, consultancy and the fostering of linkages.
Although Mr Ó Muircheartaigh received well-above average marks in all the other categories for which there were objective criteria, he received 0 out of 20 in the overall suitability category.
The court concluded that the process was unfair due to an absence of any records or "reasonable explanation" for what was acknowledged by the institute to be an extraordinary result. It recommended Mr Ó Muircheartaigh be appointed to the senior lecturer 1 post with effect from the date on which he would have been appointed if successful in the competition.