A lifeboat skipper told an Employment Appeals Tribunal yesterday he felt like "a common criminal" after being forced to resign from his position.
Mr Brian Patten (51), from Achill, Co Mayo, told the tribunal hearing in Ballina he had to resign his €162 (gross) per week voluntary post as coxswain of Achill Lifeboat in October 2001 because of pressure from senior RNLI officials.
A number of Mr Patten's crew also resigned in sympathy with their skipper, the tribunal, which is being chaired by Ms Moya Quinlan, was told. Mr Patten is claiming constructive dismissal. The hearing, which is taking place at Ballina courthouse, was adjourned in the early afternoon and will resume on a date in November.
In 1995, the RNLI had set up a lifeboat station in Achill and one of Mr Patten's brothers had been chairman of the committee which set up the station.
Mr Patten gave evidence that the first lifeboat in Achill was put on station in 1996 and in 1997 he took on the job of cox and remained in that position until October 10th, 2001. He participated in about 80 call-outs or "shouts" as coxon.
Mr Patten outlined details of an early morning sea rescue in Force 9 winds off Achill Head on February 27th 1999. He explained he got a silver medal for his role, the second highest award the RNLI offers. He had been the recipient of the highest ever award made to a lifeboat crew member in Ireland. He and other members of the crew were presented with their awards by Princess Anne at a ceremony at the Barbican in London.
Mr Patten said that around the year 2,000 his brother, Michael, was accused of verbally abusing two members of the lifeboat crew at a social function. Mr Patten said he did not even know an incident had happened but he was called, as well as his brother, to an extraordinary general meeting.
Mr Patten said his brother was forced to resign that night, under severe pressure, and he felt very hurt and badly treated by the RNLI committee. He said he was still cox but felt a bit of hostility afterwards from two of the lifeboat members. He had nothing whatsoever to do with the incident at the social function and knew nothing about it.
He took the boat to sea as normal afterwards, but some of the others were very quiet towards him at the station and he knew they had turned against him.
Mr Patten went on to outline details of a letter from Mr Colin Williams, the divisional inspector for the RNLI in Ireland. Mr Williams informed him that he would come down to interview him as he felt there was "disharmony" in the station. Witness said he had made no complaint of disharmony and did not know where the complaint came from.
Mr Williams arrived in June 2001 with his deputy, Mr Ian Canavan. Witness said the RNLI officers felt it was his fault there was disharmony in the station, but he rejected that. The meeting was convened in the school that evening. Each member signed a declaration that they would train diligently for a period of three months. They were given three months to improve in training and if they did not do so, the lifeboat would be taken off-station.
Mr Patten said that for the boat to be taken off-station would be a disaster for Achill Island, a small community. It would also leave a gap in the rescue services which would be difficult to cover.
It was decided that a review would take place three months later, in October.
Witness said that the review took place in Station House, the property of the RNLI. Mr Williams and Mr Canavan were there for the RNLI as well as Mr Patten.
Witness said he was questioned for two hours. "I could not get over how these guys treated me. I felt I was being interrogated by them. They threatened me with a disciplinary tribunal in Dublin. They asked for my resignation. They tried to force me to resign."
Mr Patten said the RNLI officers threatened they could take the boat from Achill. They told him there was disharmony in the station and he had done nothing to resolve it. Witness replied that it was very difficult to resolve it when "three or four people were working in the opposite direction".
One allegation made by Mr Canavan was of "crew abuse". This had been alleged in one call-out on July 28th where a man had fallen overboard 50 miles west of Achill. Witness had no idea what they were talking about. He had no chance to clear his name at the meeting of October 5th, 2001.
One of the officers had mentioned "crew abuse" but the second had said "that perhaps is too strong".
Witness said he was pressurised in every way to resign and, as a result of that pressure, he had broken down. He was told to go home for an hour while a committee meeting was being held, and he returned just before 8 p.m.
Mr Patten said Mr Williams asked him had he any comment to make to the meeting. Witness said he felt he had no need to resign. He then broke down. He was overcome.
Certain members of the committee were very sympathetic towards him. Witness said he was traumatised by what happened.
The hearing was adjourned until a date in November to be decided on.