Inland Fisheries Ireland former chief claims he was targeted

An employment tribunal at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has heard claims that former Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) chief executive Francis O’Donnell was “targeted” through protected disclosures and comments made in the Dáil and Seanad.

Denis Maher, a retired civil servant who oversaw IFI on behalf of the Department of the Environment, testified that departmental officials believed O’Donnell was being targeted. Maher stated that senior officials understood O’Donnell had an entitlement to return to his previous substantive role as a regional director after his term as chief executive ended.

O’Donnell is alleging unfair dismissal and penalization following his use of whistleblower legislation. While Maher noted that a 2023 human resource document appeared to support the view that O’Donnell could revert to his former post, Inland Fisheries Ireland disputes his entitlement to that position. The WRC is currently considering the competing accounts regarding employment rights and the treatment of individuals making protected disclosures.