A creche employee who was fired for not co-operating with an investigation into allegations of child abuse against a co-worker has spoken of a “Birmingham Six” conspiracy she said led to her dismissal.
Imelda Brennan of 25 St Clement's Park, Dundalk, had worked in the Holy Family Parish Community Creche in the town for 13 years prior to her dismissal in July 2013, along with colleague Luana Lucchesi who was also dismissed.
Both individuals have taken unfair dismissal cases against the company at the Employment Appeals Tribunal.
A sitting of the tribunal on Monday heard an internal disciplinary procedure in the creche had found Ms Brennan guilty of gross misconduct by not satisfactorily contributing to an investigation into whether Ms Lucchesi cursed at and covered the mouth of a child, and inappropriately covered the head of another infant with a blanket on the morning of September 27th, 2012.
Although she was present in the creche that morning, management of the creche said Ms Brennan, who was a team leader at the time, declined to submit an official statement on the accusations on numerous occasions before eventually doing so in June 2013.
Under cross-examination by counsel for the creche Owen Keany, Ms Brennan said she was only in the same room as Ms Lucchesi "for five minutes" on the morning in question and was not present for any of the alleged incidents.
Ms Brennan said she was approached by creche manager Christine Brennan later that day and stated that she "didn't hear or see anything", but added that her superiors refused to admit this statement as evidence in the subsequent investigation.
‘Covered up’
Mr Keany read out notes from a meeting between Christine Brennan and Imelda Brennan on the following day in which Imelda Brennan was recorded as saying that the “behaviour” by Ms Lucchesi witnessed on September 27th had been going on “for a long time” and was being “covered up” by fellow staff members.
It was also alleged that Imelda Brennan told management that Ms Lucchesi “came to work drunk” and “would hang me out to dry as quick as look at me” if she made an official statement against her.
Imelda Brennan denies making the comments.
A previous sitting of the tribunal saw still photographs of CCTV footage taken of Ms Lucchesi during the alleged incidents of abuse, and Imelda Brennan indicated that she saw nothing of concern in the photographs despite findings of inappropriate practice against Ms Lucchesi by a separate HSE investigation.
Imelda Brennan was suspended in January 2013 before her eventual dismissal in the summer of that year.
She told the tribunal of her belief that management, co-workers and directors of the creche as well as external investigators had conspired to remove her from her position in a plot she said was similar to that of the ‘Birmingham Six’ jailings.
She denied further accusations that she went missing from work without permission on October 1st 2012, and alleged that her employment was threatened at follow-up meetings.
Hearings for the unfair dismissal cases have now concluded and the tribunal is expected to issue a decision in the coming months.