Ireland's Eye: What's going on in the old sod this week

A look at news from around Ireland

Denture-less, Not Drunk
A TRUCK driver with a Ballisodare company who was sacked after allegedly being drunk on the phone from England to his boss claimed that he was instead just very tired and that he hadn't his dentures in at the time.

An Employment Appeals Tribunal heard that the driver, James Fahy, was subsequently sacked after a meeting with his boss in a car in Carrick-on-Shannon.

Fahy took an action for unfair dismissal against the company, Shane Cawley (Transport) Limited.

There was also evidence that Fahy had struck a door with a lorry in Rugby in June 2009 causing £2,100 worth of damage; that in August 2009 he was accused of hitting a car on Holyhead docks; that in November 2009 he was accused of reversing his trailer into another trailer at Holyhead Port; and in March 2009 he was accused of hitting the door of the Dublin hub, causing damage and expense to the company.

The tribunal heard Fahy was employed from June 11, 2007 and brought pallets between Dublin and England.

On May 21, 2009, he arrived in Birmingham around 3:45 p.m. and off-loaded the truck. He walked to a nearby social club to watch sport and have a beer with another driver.

He consumed two pints of lager and lemonade, two ham and cheese rolls and a steak and kidney pie. He had been very tired that day as he had only three hours sleep the previous evening because of the heat in the truck.

He had another beer and returned to his truck at around 7:30 p.m. He spoke to some forklift drivers at a nearby chip van and returned to his truck at 8 p.m.

He returned to his truck and set up his bed and went online to check if his wages had been lodged.  He had been very stressed when speaking to the managing director who accused him of being drunk.

He stated he wasn't but that he was very tired. He also said he didn't have his dentures in.

The reason he rang was because he had no cash and he needed to put some fuel in the truck for the return trip home. He also said he would call the police to give him a breath test.

Fahy and two friends subsequently met the managing director in a car in Carrick on Shannon and he was sacked.

The tribunal found Fahy had been unfairly dismissed as it had been "procedurally unfair" and awarded him €3,500.

The Sligo Champion

Tests After HIV Scare
REVELATIONS that a senior health worker with HIV assisted at operations and was in regular contact with patients at Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar have been condemned by independent Councilor Michael Kilcoyne.

“The Health Service Executive (HSE) must ensure that this never happens again, anywhere in Ireland,” said Kilcoyne.

“The news that 63 patients have to be screened in Mayo General Hospital this week because it has emerged this health worker has HIV will cause unnecessary worry for the people involved. I understand this problem has been ongoing for a lengthy period of time and should receive the most urgent attention.”

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Nster.com