A radio journalist claims he was made redundant from Midwest Radio after more than 10 years because of his coverage of the Corrib gas controversy in north Mayo.
Liam MacNally is involved in an ongoing Employment Appeals Tribunal, three years after leaving the station. He says he was unfairly dismissed. The Irish Times reports that Mr MacNally told the hearing on Friday that management’s attitude towards him changed following his reporting on the ‘Rossport Five‘ story in 2005.
He said management told him politicians and development companies had complained about negative coverage of Shell in the story. Mr MacNally says he’d always given the company a right of reply.
It’s also reported that Mr MacNally says managing director Paul Claffey ‘bawled him out of it’ when he asked about takeover plans by a Scottish radio group. Mr Claffey has previously spoken at the hearing, and explained the reasons for making Mr MacNally redundant.
The case has been adjourned ahead of a verdict. Read the Irish Times’ coverage of the tribunal.