Judgment has been reserved on a claim by a prison officer that he was unfairly dismissed from the service. In an action before Ms Justice Carroll in the High Court, Mr Michael Gaughan, of Oak Tree Lawn, Carpenterstown, Dublin, claimed he was dismissed in February 1991 for alleged "chronic absenteeism".
The court was told that it appeared Mr Gaughan was one of seven prison officers dismissed at the time. He contended that the procedures employed by the Department of Justice rendered the dismissal void and placed an onus on the State to allow for a full and proper oral hearing of the allegations against him.
