North: Report on 'bullying' in govt body suppressed, tribunal told
A report into allegations of bullying and harassment at Waterways Ireland was deliberately suppressed to prevent its findings being made public, it was claimed today.
Brian McTeggart, a former corporate services director with the body, is challenging the decision to terminate his post after his complaints prompted a cross border investigation.
A fair employment tribunal in Belfast heard the report found the chief executive bullied Mr McTeggart.
Extracts from the report also revealed the man was advised to attend an anger management course.
Patrick Lyttle QC, for Mr McTeggart, called for the report to be published in full under Freedom of Information legislation.
He told the hearing: "The entire aim of this case has been to keep what happened secret and that is why they have fought tooth and nail to keep the contents of the report secret.
"They are seeking to have it knocked out on a technicality and ensure what happened should not be put up for public scrutiny."
Mr McTeggart, who is claiming breach of contract and public interest disclosure, joined Waterways Ireland in February 2000.
It is claimed he was doing the job of corporate services director from that date, although he was only formally offered the post in January 2003.
In the same month Mr McTeggart made allegations concerning senior appointments, bullying and management of the organisation.
It set in motion an investigation, involving British government officials on both sides of the border, which lasted almost two years.
Mr McTeggart, from the Mackan, near Kinawley, Co Fermanagh, was told his offer of employment with Waterways Ireland - which he could not formally take up due to the investigation - had been formally withdrawn in March 2005.
The civil servant worked for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment before he was transferred to DCAL to take up his post with Waterways Ireland.
Martin Wolfe, barrister for Waterways Ireland, said the founding stone of the case would be who Mr McTeggart's employers were.
Despite being on secondment with Waterways Ireland, Mr Wolfe said the claimant's employers remained DCAL.
The barrister also claimed e-mails from Mr McTeggart showed he was not totally in agreement with the terms that were offered to him.
Mr Wolfe said: "He was not an employee of Waterways Ireland just because he purportedly accepted an offer."
Mr McTeggart, who was joined at the hearing by his wife Anna, is currently a principal officer with DECAL in Belfast.
Tribunal chairwoman Margaret Watson said, in light of the complexity of the case, the pre-hearing should proceed before a three-member panel.
A date for the pre-hearing will be fixed at a later date and it is expected to take up to three days.
