Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

Everything done by my Department had been done jointly with the Northern Ireland Department, so there is no solo run here. It is joint action in all respects because that is the way the body is set up. My information is that the actions agreed to were delivered by the CEO to the satisfaction of the Departments.

The Deputy has raised a question regarding subsequent legal actions. Following legal advice on issues raised by the complainant, in the aftermath of the investigations, the Departments concluded and informed him that there was no need for formal disciplinary action against the CEO. They could see no grounds on which they should take action on further allegations made by the complainant, given the reality that the bulk of his previous assertions had been thoroughly and independently investigated and not upheld. The complainant subsequently took a claim to an industrial tribunal in Northern Ireland to the effect that he had been victimised by Waterways Ireland. A compromise agreement was reached in September 2007 that Waterways Ireland would pay €50,000 without admission of liability. The legal advice to Waterways Ireland was that this was a good result because the complainant's legal fees probably exceeded that amount. The complainant continues to have a case pending before the High Court in Belfast.

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