A long-running dispute in which the dean of Christ Church Cathedral
in Dublin was accused of “bullying” and being “physically aggressive”
towards a former musical director was settled yesterday after lengthy
negotiations at an Employment Appeals Tribunal.
The case – which
has been running since last July – involves allegations of constructive
dismissal by Judy Martin, who claimed she was unfairly treated, and
subjected to “persistent, serious bullying” by dean of the cathedral,
the Very Rev Dermot Dunne.
‘Time and patience’
After
more than four hours in talks, Michael Mac Namee, for Rev Dunne,
thanked the tribunal for its “time and patience”.
Peter Shanley for Ms
Martin said the two sides were “pleased to announce they settled
amicably to the satisfaction of both parties”.
He did however
request that they be allowed the liberty to re-enter the matter any time
before April 15th. Thereafter the file will be closed.
Ms Martin
(45) took up her post in 2003 but resigned in February 2011 amid claims
her role had been “dismantled”.
She claimed last November that she found
Rev Dunne “quite frightening” at a meeting on December 16th, 2008.
Resignation ‘precipitous’
Mr
Mac Namee said his client believed there was no need for Ms Martin to
resign.
“It was unwarranted” and “precipitous”, he said.
It emerged during last November’s hearings that Ms Martin had threatened to resign while working with Rev Dunne’s predecessor.
Under
cross-examination, she agreed she had written two letters to the late
dean, Rev Desmond Harmon, in 2005 and 2007.
The 2005 letter contained
“talk of resignation”.
Ms Martin – who studied in Cambridge and
Oxford – had complained of “constant anti-English references” and said
she was ignored and patronised.
The claims were denied.
She said she developed shoulder and back pain and attributed this to stress.