Care worker was 'forced to quit'

A former care worker employed by the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul is claiming he was forced to resign following allegations that he shouted at and acted aggressively towards disabled people in his care.

Mr Peter O'Beirne, who strenuously denies the allegations, told an Employment Appeals Tribunal hearing yesterday that, since resigning last April, he had been unable to find employment in his field.

Ms Pauline Walley, for Mr O'Beirne, said her client was unable to explain why he was out of work and why he had left a position in which he had been for so long.

Mr O'Beirne was vocational about his work and badly wanted to return, but he believed he was the victim of a "witch-hunt" and that he was "set up" by his former employer. It was also alleged his case took place in the context of more widespread industrial relations unrest at the charity.

Mr O'Beirne (42) was employed as a care worker at the charity's campus on the Navan Road, Dublin. He worked there from January 1996 to April 2001, teaching skills to the disabled.

He is a former joiner and was responsible for the establishment of a number of skills programmes during his term of employment. Mr O'Beirne is also a lay Carmelite.

The tribunal heard that in April 2002 Mr O'Beirne's employer wrote to him following allegations that he had shouted at and acted aggressively towards people in his care. The charity claims it has witnesses who will substantiate the allegation.

Mr O'Beirne was informed that he was to be suspended for four weeks, two on full pay and two without. On his return to work he was to be transferred to the residential care centre on the Navan Road campus. A final warning was also contained in the letter from his former employer.

Mr Roddy Horan, for the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul, told the tribunal the charity wanted to transfer Mr O'Beirne to the residential care centre because he could be more closely supervised there. "My client is duty-bound to take precautions. This is not like an ordinary commercial venture," he said.

However, Mr O'Beirne alleged that the transfer proposal forced his resignation. He believed the suggestion that he needed supervision implied he was untrustworthy. He was worried that his transfer to the residential care unit might lead to further difficulties.

The tribunal was told that over a period of several years there had been a series of allegations of wrongdoing levelled at workers in the residential centre, and because of that Mr O'Beirne was not keen to take a position there. It was adjourned until January 15th to give both parties an opportunity to try to agree terms.