Top 5 reads for busy people: 

1. Protected Disclosures Commissioner publishes Annual Report 2025 📃
2. Irish business confidence in AI increases 📈
3. Bank of Ireland hybrid staff warned over meeting minimum in-person attendance ⚠️
4. Only 16% of firms have a succession plan in place 👩‍💼
5. Former X manager sees €550,000 tribunal payout reduced 💸

And in other news..... Ireland’s 1926 Census has unearthed a world of lost jobs, from lamplighters to rabbit trappers, offering a glimpse into a time when agriculture dominated working life 📜

1. Case Law Reviews
2. AI and Employment Law
3. Skill Builder for HR: Employee Engagement in Modern Workplaces
4. Pay & Benefits
5. Protected Disclosures
6. Hybrid & Remote Working
7. Former X manager sees tribunal payout reduced
8. New Garda ombudsman unit opens investigations into alleged abuse by officers
9. Cybersecurity
10. Just In Case You Missed It....
11. HR Developments
12. Employment News in the Media
13. Friends of Legal Island
14. Free Webinars This Month

Louise Nagle v Munster Technological University ADJ-00058489

Summary: An employee’s successive fixed term project roles were found to be objectively justified, with no entitlement to a contract of indefinite duration or evidence of penalisation, and all claims were dismissed.

Practical Guidance for Employers: 

Employers should:

• Ensure that fixed-term contracts are clearly linked to identifiable, time-limited projects or funding streams, and that the objective grounds underpinning such contracts are documented contemporaneously.
  
  
• Make sure subsequent roles are transparent and conducted through open competition. Where fixed-term roles conclude, employers should be able to demonstrate that the specific posts have ceased or materially changed, rather than relying on general assertions that work continues.
   
  
• Take care to ensure consistency in treatment across staff and to manage expectations where employees temporarily act at higher grades. Communication should make clear that such roles are finite and do not guarantee progression.

Read the full Review here.

Jason Cleare v O Connor Woodwork Solutions ADJ-00058263

Summary: A mileage expenses dispute with no link to any protected ground was found to fall outside equality legislation, and all claims were dismissed as unfounded.

Practical Guidance for Employers: 

Employers should:

• Ensure that all terms and conditions of employment are clearly set out at the outset, particularly in relation to pay, expenses, and allowances. Any entitlements, such as mileage or travel reimbursement, should be expressly documented to avoid ambiguity.
   
  
• Understand the scope of equality legislation. Not all workplace disputes fall within the remit of the Employment Equality Acts. Claims must be linked to one of the protected grounds, and employers should be prepared to challenge complaints that are misconceived in this regard.
   
  
• Maintain clear records of contractual agreements and communications with employees. In the event of a dispute, the ability to demonstrate that terms were agreed and understood will be critical.

Read the full Review here.

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These case reviews were written by Patrick Barrett BL.

Patrick's legal education is robust, beginning with a BCL Law Degree from University College Cork (2012-2016), followed by an LL.M in Business Law from the same institution (2016-2017), and culminating in a Barrister-at-Law Degree from The Honorable Society of King’s Inns in Dublin (2019-2021). He has extensive experience on the South-West Circuit, handling Civil, Family, and Criminal Law cases, as well as advising the Citizen Advice Service.  He has worked as an employment consultant, dealing with workplace investigations and bankruptcy procedures.

Remember: Our Irish case law reviews are now held in our case law section on our fully-searchable employment law hub website.

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Minister Lawless Launches AIReady.ie to Upskill One Million People in AI

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Skills, James Lawless TD, launched AIReady.ie, the Government’s new national AI skilling platform, designed to provide people across Ireland with access to essential AI skills. More direct from gov.ie

Meta to start capturing employee mouse movements, keystrokes for AI training data

Meta is installing new tracking software on US-based employees' computers to capture mouse movements, clicks and keystrokes for use in training its artificial intelligence models. The move is part of a broad initiative to build AI agents that can perform work tasks autonomously, the company told staffers in internal memos seen by Reuters. RTÉ has more here.

Irish business confidence in AI increases

Irish business leaders are growing more confidence in AI and its role in the workplace. That’s according to new research from consulting firm Expleo, even as levels of concern remain higher in Ireland than in neighbouring European countries. You can read more from Think Business. 

AI for HR Weekly Podcast with Barry Phillips 🎙️

Hub subscribers are beginning to request that our Chairman, Barry covers a particular AI topic in a future podcast. If you have a request, send it to him directly at barry@legal-island.com - he’ll feel like a DJ from the 80s…...🎧

You can tune into the latest episode right here - or, if you’re on the move, why not take us with you?

Listen on all major platforms: 🎧 Spotify or Apple Podcasts

Simply search for “AI for HR Weekly Podcast” and enjoy expert insights anytime, anywhere.

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A third of Irish workers had no pension cover in 2025 – CSO

One third of workers in the State had no pension cover last year, according to figures published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). Pension coverage remained lowest among younger workers, with just one fifth of those aged 20-24 having any pension cover, the CSO found. The Irish Examiner has more on this story.

Irish workers less likely to prioritise higher pay when changing roles, research suggests

After pay, Irish workers wanted better benefits, more flexible hours, better company culture and better work-life balance. More here from the Irish Times.

Industrial action 'inevitable' if pay demands not met – ICTU

General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Owen Reidy has warned that strike action would probably be "inevitable" if the Government does not listen to the concerns of workers. Mr Reidy was speaking following a meeting with Government and employer representatives to discuss the impact of the rising cost-of-living on workers. More from RTÉ.

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Protected Disclosures Commissioner Annual Report 2025 

The Protected Disclosures Commissioner has published its Annual Report 2025. The report highlights a number of emerging trends over the past year, including an increase in the use of artificial intelligence in the drafting of disclosures and a widespread lack of understanding of the purpose of the legislation.

In particular, the report notes: “Although we don’t assess the merits of a report before transmitting it, we do examine the contents to identify the most appropriate recipient. During this examination it is noticeable that a considerable number of reports are in fact employee grievances, interpersonal disputes or complaints from people who are unhappy about a matter rather than reports of wrongdoing within the meaning of the legislation.”

You can read the report by following this link.

Skill Builder for HR: Managing Protected Disclosures

Join expert Ger Deering, Ireland’s Ombudsman, Information Commissioner and Protected Disclosures Commissioner, for what promises to be a standout session on the realities of handling whistleblowing disclosures. With an exceptional career shaping employment rights, regulatory reform and dispute resolution across both public and private sectors, Ger brings rare authority and practical insight to this complex area. This 90 minute event takes place on Wednesday, 17th June. Book your spot today. More here. 

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Thousands of civil servants should be allowed work from home more due to fuel prices and congestion, says union

The Journal reports that Fórsa has written to the Department of Public Expenditure calling for increased access to remote working for civil service staff due to the impact of the fuel crisis and continued congestion on Irish roads. Fórsa is the largest Irish trade union for the public service, and the second largest trade union in the state – it represents 25,000 civil service staff. More here.

Bank of Ireland hybrid staff warned over meeting minimum in-person attendance

Hybrid workers in Bank of Ireland have received a warning from management over meeting the minimum number of in-person attendance days. In July last year, the bank announced that staff who are eligible for hybrid working would be required to work in-person a minimum of eight days per month or two days per week. In a message to staff on Monday, the bank said that meeting the minimum in-person attendance set out in its hybrid policy will now be part of how it assesses performance. RTÉ has more.

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A former senior figure at Twitter, now known as X, has had the compensation pay from his unfair dismissal case in Ireland cut to less than half of the original award. Gary Rooney was among the large group of staff told by email in October 2022 that their roles had been terminated, shortly after Elon Musk took control of the organisation. An Irish tribunal granted him €550,000 (£479,102) in compensation, the highest unfair dismissal award ever issued by the Workplace Relations Commission. X appealed the ruling. Employee Benefits has more on this story.

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A specialist unit within the Office of the Garda Ombudsman has initiated a series of investigations into allegations of domestic and sexual abuse involving members of An Garda Síochána, as well as claims of failures in how such reports were handled. Irish Legal News has more here.

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Cybersecurity: Could phones could be the chink in a company’s armour?

A recent survey from Vodafone found that 70 per cent of Irish small and medium-sized companies were more worried about attacks on mobile devices than they were last year. But more than 40 per cent still gave full, unrestricted access to company resources on personal handsets – everything from email and apps to company documents. More from the Irish Times.

And...

HR staffer jailed for £650k tax scam using TfL employee data

A court has jailed a couple – one of whom works in HR – for stealing the personal data of Transport for London (TfL) employees and submitting fraudulent tax rebate claims totalling £650,000. Luciana Akanbi, who worked in HR for TfL, illegally accessed her colleagues’ private, personal data. She and her husband retrieved the passport numbers, national insurance numbers and bank details of 40 TfL employees and lodged 139 fraudulent tax rebate claims with HMRC. HR Magazine has more.
 
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The Employment Law Hub is a comprehensive, jurisdiction-specific resource designed for HR professionals, legal advisors, and business leaders. It centralises essential employment law and HR updates, expertly curated and written by leading HR and legal specialists to provide reliable, practical, and authoritative insights. We have over 700+ in depth articles and 1000+ case law reviews. As a subscriber, you have access to all of this. Check it out the full Hub here and below are some recent articles you may have missed.....

Case Law Round‑Up: Lessons on Disability and Reasonable Accommodations

Disability remains the most cited reason for discrimination claims under the Employment Equality Act, according to the WRC’s most recent Annual Report. For employers and HR professionals, failing to manage accommodations or disability-related absences isn’t just tricky -it’s risky and expensive.

In our most recent webinar, Sinead Morgan, Legal Director at DAC Beachcroft broke down recent WRC decisions and shared the key lessons HR teams wish they’d learned sooner. Missed the recording? Don't worry you can catch up here. 

WRC Codes of Practice – The Future of Remote, Flexible & Longer Working Arrangements

The landscape of Irish employment law working arrangements continues to evolve, with three significant developments for employers to consider: the revised Code of Practice on Access to Part-Time Working, the anticipated revision of the WRC's Code of Practice on Remote Working Requests, and the forthcoming Code of Practice on Contractual Retirement Ages. Sarah Linehan, Employment Solicitor, EY Law Ireland gives her insights. 

Leave for Medical Care Purposes

The Leave for Medical Care Purposes was introduced via the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023. To avail of this leave, it is important for both employees and employers to understand the rights and obligations in relation to Leave for Medical Care purposes and how it differs from other types of statutory leave.  Read more from Caroline Reidy
Head of HR Solutions, NFP.

Duncan's Case Law Reviews

Duncan Inverarity, Former Partner & Head of Employment at A&L Goodbody LLP reviews the most important case law relevant for Irish employers from the past year. Keep an eye out on our Hub every week for a new update. This week he is discussing the case:

Zaurbek Musaev v TikTok Technology Limited ADJ-00052437

In this case, the Complainant challenged TikTok’s refusal of a full-time remote working request linked to past road traffic accidents and a long commute. TikTok relied on the contractual requirement that the Dublin office was the place of work and argued the request had been properly considered under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023. Read the full case review here. 

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Shining a light on women’s hormonal health at work

Menopause Hub and Core invite women nationwide to share lived experiences to inform future workplace and health policy. Think Business has more.

How to spot the early warning signs of team disengagement

Lesley Cooper, founder and CEO of WorkingWell, outlines five early warning signs of team disengagement and how organisations can act early to support wellbeing, strengthen relationships and sustain high performance in this article for HRD Connect. More here.

Only 16% of firms have a succession plan in place

Business Plus reports research from Robert Walters shows that 42% of Irish organisations have no succession plan and 7% are unsure whether one exists. At the same time, nearly three-quarters (72%) of Irish leaders believe they have a shortage of senior talent, with half (50%) describing the shortage as significant. Access the article here.

The fascinating jobs that no longer exist – revealed by Ireland’s 1926 Census

Lamplighters and rabbit trappers are among the forgotten professions uncovered in Ireland’s newly released 1926 Census records. Other roles captured include hosiery makers, and biscuit-wrapper makers at the old Jacob’s factory on Bishop Street in Dublin, the very building where the National Archives is now based. The records paint a picture of a country where over half of all workers were employed in agriculture, with 14% in manufacturing and 7% recorded as domestic servants. Irish Central has more on this.

Why creativity is emerging as a key tool for mental health at work

As organisations across Ireland prepare to mark Workplace Wellbeing Day on April 29, with this year’s theme of Belonging, a national campaign is encouraging employers to take a more human-centred approach to mental health - using creativity to support connection, inclusion, and meaningful conversation in the workplace. The Mental Health Matters poster campaign, now in its third year, is inviting workplaces to express what mental health means to them through art, with submissions open until July 5. The Galway Advertiser has more on this.

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RTÉ reports a senior civil servant with a visual impairment has won €30,000 for disability discrimination after it took his department's IT team over a decade to give him a suitable work laptop. Assistant principal officer Paul Hill said in a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) that he was made to feel a "nuisance", a "troublemaker" and "an inconvenience" at the Department of Social Protection for seeking disability supports to help him do his work.

HCL America, a technology consulting firm based in Santa Clara, California, has agreed to pay $495,000 to settle an age and national origin discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC alleged that the company interviewed but declined to hire a candidate after a sales director emailed the hiring team stating the individual was “too old” for the role, copying the candidate on the message, reports HR Dive.

Forged references were provided for staff at unregulated children's care homes, according to an internal report prepared for the Child and Family Agency, Tusla. The disclosures are documented in emails between Tusla and the biggest provider of these care homes, Baig & Mirza Health Services Ltd trading as Kare Plus Dublin South. A separate company to Kare Plus Ireland, it trades under a franchise agreement and runs what are known as Special Emergency Arrangements or SEAs. You can read more on this from RTÉ.

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CIPD announces Neil Carberry as new Chief Executive

The CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, announced the appointment of Neil Carberry as its new Chief Executive, effective from 28 September 2026.  Neil joins the CIPD after leading the Recruitment and Employment Confederation as chief executive since 2018, and prior to that, he led the CBI’s work on labour market, skills and employment relations issues from 2004. 

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Case Law Round‑Up: Lessons on Disability and Reasonable Accommodations

Disability remains the most cited reason for discrimination claims under the Employment Equality Act, according to the WRC’s most recent Annual Report. For employers and HR professionals, failing to manage accommodations or disability-related absences isn’t just tricky—it’s risky and expensive.

Sinead Morgan, Legal Director at DAC Beachcroft, breaks down recent WRC and Labour Court decisions and shares the key lessons HR teams wish they’d learned sooner. Discover actionable guidance on reasonable accommodations to keep your workplace inclusive, compliant, and far less stressful.

Catch up here.

Check out previous discussions:
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