A claim by an employer that a report which received widespread national publicity on RTE and in the Star newspaper prejudiced his case was rejected by the chairman of the Employment Appeals Tribunal, Mr Conor Linehan BL, at a hearing in Limerick yesterday.
Mr Andrew O'Reilly, Corbally, Limerick, a security officer, claimed he was unfairly dismissed this year by the general manager of Arthurs Quay Management Services, Mr James Kenny.
Mr Adrian Beatty, industrial relations officer, IBEC, said a front-page story in the Star, which was followed up by Morning Ireland and the Vincent Browne RTE radio programme, was prejudicial to the company and had prejudged the issue now at hearing.
Mr Pat Wallace, solicitor for the claimant, said his client had no hand, act or part in the article which appeared in the newspaper.
The chairman ruled the tribunal had no power "to throw out the case on the grounds of prejudice as we have not read or heard the report and there is no such option open to us".
The case was adjourned to December.
The company had claimed that Mr O'Reilly was dismissed finally as a result of 25 parking vouchers valued at £17.50p being missing on his shift over six months up until last May. It said he had previously been warned about "unacceptable conduct". Mr Wallace said the vouchers were of no financial benefit to Mr O'Reilly who claimed it was when he introduced the union for 12 employees that he came under pressure from management.