Head of Barnardos praises bully case claimant

A clinical psychologist who is taking a constructive dismissal case against St Michael's House - a disability service provider in Dublin - was described yesterday as the most committed professional in the field, by the chief executive of Barnardos and campaigner on disability issues, Fergus Finlay.

Mr Finlay was giving evidence at the Employment Appeals Tribunal in the case being taken by Dr Mark Harrold against St Michael's House. Dr Harrold alleges a campaign of bullying was orchestrated against him after he raised concerns about the transfer of a resident, Peter McKenna, to Leas Cross nursing home in Swords, Co Dublin.

Mr McKenna (60) had Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease and died in October 2001, 10 days after he left St Michael's House. Dr Harrold resigned from his post in 2004. The tribunal yesterday also heard from further former employees of St Michael's House who described as intimidating the management style there.

Mr Finlay, who has campaigned in the area for 30 years, said no one in his life experience had given more of themselves to the field than Dr Harrold.

"I don't know anyone who is more committed than Mark is. He has turned up at meeting [ on disability issues] after meeting - at night, Saturdays, Sunday, it didn't matter . . . I have never known anyone to second guess his judgment." He knew a number of other people, who had worked at St Michael's House, who had told him they loved the work there but hated the work atmosphere.

Following the death of Mr McKenna, Mr Finlay said he conducted an investigation into practices at the charity. As a result of meetings with a number of employees, he said, he came to believe there was a "very difficult and oppressive culture . . . tantamount to a culture of bullying" there.

He said employees who had raised concerns about the handling of Mr McKenna's case were deeply unhappy about the way they were treated as a result of having raised those concerns.

Aoife O'Neill, who worked as a social worker with St Michael's House from May 1998 to July 2005, said she worked initially on a six-month contract, which was extended to 18 months. She then applied for a permanent post, was successful at interview but told she would be on probation for six months. "They told me they believed I had issues with management." She said she was taken aback by this suggestion.

She believed the issues she was said to have had with management were based on the fact that she was vocal in her advocacy of her clients and in her unease on the use of nursing homes by St Michael's House.

"There was definitely that atmosphere where people were afraid to speak . . . and if they did [ they feared] how it would be responded to." She said it was put to her that unless she sorted out her issues she would not pass her probationary period.

After she approached her union for advice, she was told she was being made permanent and the probationary period was over.

Emer Lynch, who worked at St Michael's House from 1997 until 2004, ultimately as principal social work practitioner, said when she joined she was advised by colleagues: "Be careful what you say at meetings."

She had made representations about a number of social workers' difficulties with management.

"Those who didn't have problems with management were in a minority," she said.

The case continues today.