Former official says he was isolated in parents' council

A former administrator with the National Parents' Council - Post-Primary has told an employment appeals tribunal he was isolated within the council at a critical time during the recent teachers' strike.

Mr Sean Grehan, from Arklow, is claiming constructive dismissal arising from his resignation from the NPC last February.

Mr Grehan worked part-time in the office of the NPC from October 1999 to the date of his resignation in February 2001. At various times, he also acted as unpaid company secretary, a consultant and a director to the council and as the Irish representative on the European Parents' Association.

His relations with others in the organisation were good until September 2000, when a number of articles appeared in newspapers and allegations were made about his work, Mr Grehan told yesterday's hearing.

At this time, disagreements arose between different groups in the NPC in relation to the response by parents to the strike by secondary teachers.

After resigning as secretary last January, he found it very difficult to continue in the NPC, he said.

The board ceased to report decisions to the office and it was impossible to answer queries which came in by telephone during the teachers' strike. Passwords on the computers were changed.

He was informed that all outgoing letters were to be vetted by the president, Mrs Marie Danaswamy, or the new company secretary, Mrs Barbara Johnston. Mr Grehan said he "seemed generally to be ignored".

In early February, Mrs Damaswamy phoned Mr Grehan to tell him that Mrs Johnston would be attending in the office.

Mr Grehan told Mrs Damaswamy he had no option but to resign.

He agreed with Mr Tom Mallon, barrister, for the NPC, that his appointment as office administrator was "a short-term plan". "I told them I might leave at any time to do a training contract," which was more lucrative.

In June 2000, the board resolved to review the role of the secretary and to seek a new person to fill the role. In November it was decided that the new secretary should be a director and a parent with children in secondary school. This meant that Mr Grehan could not be a candidate.

Mr Grehan said he was seeking monetary compensation as he did not wish to return to work in the council.

The hearing resumes in September.