A health worker who liked and shared a video featuring an offensive song about the murdered Co Tyrone woman, Michaela McAreavey, claimed she was wrongfully fired from her job, reports Rte.
An employment tribunal panel called the broadcast of the video in an Orange Hall last year a “truly disgraceful event” and ruled that the Southern Health and Social Care Trust had the right to fire Rhonda Shiels from her job.
There was widespread condemnation after footage, broadcast live from Dundonald Orange Hall in May 2022, showed several men singing a song apparently mocking former Tyrone GAA manager Mickey Harte’s daughter, who was murdered during her honeymoon. of honey in Mauritius in 2011.
Ms Shiels worked for the Southern Trust for five years as a healthcare assistant.
The footage was broadcast live by Andrew McDade, Ms Shiels’ partner.
The labor court was informed that she had liked the video and shared it on her Facebook account, reports RTE.
The written judgment establishes that on May 28, 2022 the plaintiff attended an event at the Stormont facilities.
“On the same date, her partner had been taking part in a march organised by the Orange Order and had then been invited to Dundonald Orange Hall, together with other bandsmen and members, for refreshments. The claimant’s partner had livestreamed a video from Dundonald Orange Hall on his own Facebook account. The claimant (Ms Shiels) had been immediately notified of that livestream and had opened it. The claimant accepted in a statement of agreed facts that she had liked and shared the video,” the judgement stated, reports RTE.
McDade lost an employment court against his firing from his job as a truck driver earlier this month.
Jamie Bryson, who represented Ms Shiels at the hearing, said his client was disappointed with the verdict and would consider all appeals.
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