THE former Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, the Very Revd
Dr Robert MacCarthy, has been awarded compensation understood to be
in the region of €10,000, in a settlement brokered by the Irish
Employment Appeals Tribunal after the termination of his position
as chaplain to St Patrick's Hospital, a Dublin institution founded
by his famous predecessor, Jonathan Swift.
Dr MacCarthy, who stepped down as Dean in 2012, had been
employed as chaplain to St Patrick's Hospital since 2005. He had
travelled to Zimbabwe for a three-month work programme after his
retirement, but when he returned to St Patrick's Hospital, he was
told that his position as chaplain had been given to a local
Rector, Canon Mark Gardener.
"I arrived back at the hospital to be told my chaplaincy post
was gone," Dr MacCarthy said on Saturday. "I had not been notified,
or given a reason or grounds for this action, and was left with no
option but to have the matter clarified, which the Employment
Appeals Tribunal did."
In a letter seen by the Church Times, which was sent by
the hospital CEO, Paul Gilligan, to Dr MacCarthy in February 2013,
Mr Gilligan stated: "In November 2012, the Most Revd Dr Michael
Jackson, wrote me a letter indicating that the Revd Canon Mark
Gardener had been appointed as Church of Ireland Chaplain to the
hospital, given that you had retired."
The perceived part played by the Archbishop in replacing Dr
MacCarthy was disputed by the former Dean, who said: "St Patrick's
Hospital, like the Rotunda Maternity Hospital, is a private
hospital, and the board, of which the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr
Jackson, is a member, appoints the chaplain.
"While the Archbishop would have the right to appoint chaplains
to public hospitals in the diocese, my appointment was clearly one
for the board, not the Archbishop."
Dr MacCarthy sought mediation on the basis that the hospital had
employed him, and paid him independently of the diocese. On
Tuesday, the hospital declined to make any comment.
A spokeswoman for Dublin & Glendalough diocese confirmed
that the chaplaincy appointment was for the hospital to make,
including remuneration. Dr Jackson was unavailable for comment.