A PSYCHOLOGIST believed he would remain in his post at Trinity College, Dublin, because colleagues there considered his appointment "a terrific success", the Employment Appeals Tribunal heard yesterday.
Dr Paul O'Mahony was challenging TCD's decision to end his employment as lecturer at its School of Occupational Therapy.
Dr O'Mahony acknowledged that he had signed a three year contract. But he said he believed the job would continue beyond three years if his work proved satisfactory and if the experiment of employing a psychologist at the school proved successful.
He told the tribunal that his academic colleagues considered the appointment a success, and so his reaction on learning his employment was being terminated was "absolute shock".
Asked who had the power to renew his contract or make the job permanent, Dr O'Mahony said he understood the academic staff of the school were the primary determinants of its teaching needs. While the college's staff office had told him his appointment was for three years only, he expected the academic staff's wish for him to continue in the post would be the most important factor.
Mr Frank Callanan, for Dr O'Mahony, said the contract was signed in the context of conversations which made it clear that the job would have to be for more than three years. Dr O'Mahony had been hired on the understanding that his role was to build up the school's research activities and that this was a more "long term" project.
He said it was "an outrage" for TCD to insist on terminating the employment and to ignore the assurances that Dr O'Mahony had been given about the longer term nature of the job.
The tribunal is to give its decision on the appeal at a later date.