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Broadcaster Paul Byrne’s High Court action over Virgin Media television’s decision to bring internal disciplinary proceedings against him have been adjourned after the sides agreed to mediate the dispute, the High Court has heard.
Mr Byrne, who is the station’s southern correspondent, has sued his employer and is seeking various injunctions over what he claims is a flawed disciplinary process against him.
The claims are denied.
The matter was mentioned before Mr Justice Mark Sanfey today, who was told that it could be adjourned for a month as the parties had agreed to try and mediate the dispute.
The judge, who had previously suggested that the sides seek to resolve their differences outside of court, agreed to put the matter back to a date in June.
The court previously heard that Mr Byrne was suspended from his role following a live report he made on the afternoon of 9 February last concerning the death of a young boy in Co Waterford.
He had stated that one line of inquiry being considered by gardaí as part of their investigation was that the boy had allegedly been drowned and placed into a car.
The claim was published after Mr Byrne checked it with at least two credible sources and after two other media outlets had published the same information, the court was told.
While he had believed the information to be credible, it later turned out not to be true.
Shortly afterwards Mr Byrne claims his employer suspended him for allegedly breaching the broadcaster’s News Guidelines and Production Handbook, because he had failed to speak to his line manager about the matter in advance of the broadcast.
The disciplinary process, he said, could result in his dismissal for gross misconduct.
Mr Byrne has denied any wrongdoing and claimed that the process engaged by his employer is flawed, punitive and disproportionate, and should be set aside.
He also claimed that the procedure lacks credibility and is in breach of his contractual rights.
As part of the process, Mr Byrne said he was asked to attend a disciplinary hearing, which he claimed he was unable to do on medical grounds.
He said he feared the outcome of the meeting – which was put on hold after proceedings were commenced – could have had serious repercussions for his employment and reputation.
As a result, Mr Byrne commenced proceedings before the High Court last month seeking an injunction restraining Virgin Media Ireland and Virgin Media Television from continuing the disciplinary process against him.
He is also seeking orders requiring the defendants to pay his salary and benefits, lift his suspension, and not appoint anyone to carry out his duties.
The court heard that in correspondence the defendants rejected Mr Byrne’s claims against both them and the disciplinary process itself.
They said that given Virgin Media’s role as a public broadcaster, the alleged breach was deemed as being “serious in nature” and it informed Mr Byrne that “steps needed to be taken to avoid a repeat”.
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