Background:

The Complainant, employed by the Respondent since October 2004, served as Cargo Compliance Manager at the time of his dismissal in December 2023. His role entailed overseeing compliance with aviation safety and cargo export regulations. His dismissal arose following an Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) inspection, during which compliance failures were identified, leading to a temporary suspension of the Respondent’s operations. Despite subsequent revalidation, an issue emerged when it was discovered that cargo had been dispatched during the unregulated period, contrary to regulatory requirements. The Complainant, unaware of the shipment, escalated the matter to Senior Management, believing communication breakdowns had occurred.

The Complainant was invited to meetings he believed were fact-finding exercises but was later subjected to a disciplinary