The secretary to the diocese of Kildare and Leighlin has taken High Court proceedings claiming that a decision to make her redundant is invalid.
In proceedings against the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, Ms Mary Sheehy (52), Green Road, Carlow, claims she was appointed secretary to the late Bishop Patrick Lennon in 1974 and that he had told her that her employment would be permanent and pensionable.
She understood she would remain in office until she was 65 and had moved from permanent employment with the Carlow Vocational Education Committee to take up the new post.
Mr Mark Connaughton SC, for Ms Sheehy, said the late Bishop Lennon's successor, Bishop Laurence Ryan, who died recently, had confirmed in writing about the year 2000 the conditions of service which, counsel said, had in effect been agreed with Bishop Lennon.
When the late Bishop Ryan suffered ill-health he tendered his resignation and was succeeded by Bishop James Moriarty in August 2002.
In March 2001 Bishop Ryan had asked for a meeting with Ms Sheehy in relation to her pay and pension. He was not happy with the arrangements then in place and sought to review them, counsel said.
In October 2001 Bishop Ryan had said that, because of his ill-health, the negotiations on his behalf would be conducted by a Mr Gerard Dooley, a member of a management consultancy firm. These negotiations had culminated in a letter from Mr Dooley to Ms Sheehy's solicitors stating that Bishop Ryan wanted her to "retire with him".
Ms Sheehy had stated that there was no reason why she should not continue with the new bishop. In July 2002 she was notified that it was the intention of Bishop Ryan to make her redundant.
Mr Connaughton read a letter from the late Bishop Ryan in which he said he had for some time past wished to restructure the diocesan administration by amalgamating two posts of Diocesan Secretary (held by Ms Sheehy) and Chancellor and Diocesan Secretary (held by Father William Kemmy).
Counsel said it was agreed that there was no question or dispute about the competency or integrity of Ms Sheehy. The dispute was over the purported entitlement of Bishop Ryan to make her redundant. It was accepted that there was, in some slight sense, an overlap in the functions of Diocesan Secretary and that of Chancellor and Diocesan Secretary.
In an affidavit, Ms Sheehy said her duties had been extensive over the years. She had had overall management of the diocesan office. The bishop in his defence claims that Ms Sheehy's employment was lawfully terminated by making her redundant.
The hearing continues today.