Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

The second item I want to deal with - I hope I will be able to come back in on a few other matters later - relates to the settlement of the employment case. This cropped up in the C and AG's report. It jumped out to us. I understand that there is a mediated situation and that this constrains what can be said. The settlement comprised €1.37 million for a loss of potential private earnings during the period. This person had been paid in full while they were under suspension and then they claimed for the loss of private earnings. It seems that all the power is one side, and the power is almost in the inadequacy of the person. Obviously, they were not suspended for no reason - I presume it was because they had not been able to do the job - and then they get this kind of compensation. Is that not encouraging a particular type of behaviour? It seems extraordinary that the legal advice would not be to challenge this and, at all costs, to make sure this person was gone.