Judge quashes ‘irrational’ dismissal of former IRA man

The dismissal of a former IRA man convicted of a murder committed when he was 16 from a grass-cutting job in west Belfast has been quashed by the High Court in Belfast.

Martin Neeson had a job with a conservation charity in Poleglass for 20 years, until the rules changed and he was required to pass security vetting.

After he failed, he was dismissed.

Lawyers for the 58-year- old declared the judgment by Mr Justice Maguire to be a "resounding exoneration" for the former prisoner and others in his position.

He is now expected to secure damages.

In his ruling, the judge said the decision to sack Mr Neeson because he had failed rules that came into place years after he got the job as a groundsman “flies in the face of being a rational decision”.

The justification for sacking Mr Neeson had depended on a decision taken by recently retired Northern Ireland first minister Peter Robinson during his time as finance minister in Stormont.

Mr Justice Maguire ruled that Mr Robinson should have brought proposals affecting the ability of former prisoners to get work before a full meeting of the Northern Ireland Executive, but he had not done so.