The personal assistant to the former managing director of Bord na Móna has settled her High Court action in which she alleged the company tried to get rid of her because her ex-boss had sued it.
Ms Justice Mary Laffoy was told by John Curran, for France Stokes, the action had been resolved and could be struck out. No details of the settlement were revealed.
Ms Stokes (38), Tullamore Road, Birr, Co Offaly, who worked with BNM for almost twenty years until she went on sick leave allegedly due to work-related stress, sued it over alleged bullying, intimidation, harassment and breach of contract.
Ms Stokes was PA to former BNM MD John Hourican and claimed she was entitled to remain as PA to his successor but the company had sought to demote her to a lower position.
The company had denied her claims.
It pleaded she was lawfully reassigned to another position within the company and denied that assurances given to her while she was PA to the former MD were binding or gave her an entitlement to remain at a particular post.
The court had heard a dispute erupted in 2007 between BNM Chairman Fergus McArdle and Mr Hourican leading to High Court proceedings which were later settled. Mr Hourican had resigned.
Ms Stokes claimed she had nothing to do with that dispute but her responsibilities were removed from her without any consultation.
She alleged she was told in October 2007 she had a new job as Contracts Administrator in the Legal Department, a position four grades lower.
She also claimed she was informed at a meeting with BNM Director of Finance Michael Barry, because of her role as PA to the previous MD, Mr McArdle had instructed a course of action be adopted to “get rid” of her.
On October 17th 2007, she received a letter from the company’s Human Resources department purporting to remove her from her position and she took sick leave, it was claimed.
As a result of work-related stress, Ms Stokes has been off work since 2008 and her sick pay ran out approximately a year ago, it was alleged.
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