E-mail this to a friend
Print this
Former director of the most famous Irish Centre in London wins £46,537 in compensation
10 September 2007
The former Director of the London Irish Centre (LIC) won nearly £47,000 in compensation in a remedy hearing on 5 September, after originally winning an Employment Tribunal claim earlier this year against the Board of Trustees of the London Irish Centre Charity and John Twomey (Co-coordinator of the LIC Welfare Service).
The Employment Tribunal judgment
Ms Murnane, 48, who lives in Vauxhall, London, worked as the Centre’s Director for nearly two years until she was dismissed on 26 May 2006. Ms Murnane was the first female and lay director of the Centre in 49 years. All previous Directors had been Catholic priests.
The case went to trial in March 2007 and lasted 10 days. The Tribunal found in a judgment on 28 June 2007 that Ms Murnane had been substantively unfairly dismissed and discriminated against by the LIC and John Twomey on grounds of sex.
The Tribunal noted that Ms Murnane’s dismissal was substantively unfair, and also found that the Chair of Trustees Philip Fitzpatrick had canvassed for evidence against Ms Murnane. The Trustees asked Ms Murnane to resign even though they were fully aware that their legal position was weak; when she refused to resign, they suspended her from her £40,000 plus post at the Centre in Camden town.
The Tribunal also held that Mr Twomey’s communications with Ms Murnane were ‘unacceptable, vitriolic and almost abusive’. His grievances against Ms Murnane were judged to be ‘vindictive and excessive’, and he resisted and resented her authority over him, failing to provide an adequate explanation for his actions.
Remedy
The remedies hearing on 5 September was delayed while Mr Fitzpatrick and Mr Twomey travelled by cab from Camden town at the Tribunal Chairman’s request.
At the remedies hearing, the tribunal took the relatively unusual step of awarding aggravated damages on account of the London Irish Centre and John Twomey’s’ behaviour.
Ms Murnane’s solicitor, Rachel Lester, from the award winning Employment Law Team at Russell Jones & Walker comments:
“The Tribunal’s decision is a damning indictment of unfair and sexually discriminatory practices within this well-known charity and the devastating impact these have had on my client’s career and livelihood. There is an urgent need for the Charity Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission to investigate the London Irish Centre and to address the institutionalised sexism prevalent there to ensure that the kind of treatment meted out to my client is not repeated.
Ms Murnane comments:
“I feel vindicated by the Tribunal’s judgment and the wicked campaign of rumours and innuendo is now shown to have been actuated by malice. My good name is restored and those who took this course are shown in their true colours”
For further information, please contact:
Samantha Mangwana, Solicitor, Russell Jones & Walker - 020 7339 6661
James Boyd-Wallis, Kysen PR - 020 7462 8404