The proceedings of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) continued in favour of Garda whistleblower Lois West on Thursday afternoon, although Lois West was not present due to illness. At the time her legal representatives notified the court about her inability to provide them with instructions, she had already departed the session due to the stress brought on by the proceedings. Lois West’s barrister, David Byrnes, conveyed her husband’s deep worry about her well-being.
Regretfully expressing his concern, the adjudicator Roger McGrath emphasized that West’s health was a primary consideration. Nonetheless, opposition sprang up about concluding the session at 5.30pm as initially scheduled, fearing that the case would continue into the next week.
In addition, West’s barrister revealed that his client had discovered her position in the force’s analytics service was no longer valid late the previous evening after listening to a testimony from a high-ranking Garda executive. Her treating psychiatrist, Dr Elizabeth Cryan expressed shock at this information.
Lois West has lodged complaints under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the Payment of Wages Act 1991 against several authorities, including the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, the Government and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
Before her sick leave, she served as the assistant principal and deputy head of the Garda Siochana Analysis Service (GSAS). She claims her career progression was obstructed after her testimony to the Oireachtas about inaccuracies in official homicide data recording six years prior, and the subsequent mishandling of her complaints about bullying and sexual harassment by a senior official.
Dr Elizabeth Cryan, who is treating Lois West, has testified that she is suffering from a severe adjustment disorder. This session comes exactly six years after she and her colleague testified about errors in Garda homicide records.
The complainant didn’t qualify for a PTSD diagnosis as there wasn’t any direct encounter with death, serious injury, or sexual violence- Dr Cryan clarified this, dismissing the allegations of sexual harassment made by Ms West, stating they didn’t meet the standards required for such a diagnosis. Mrs West was suffering from physical symptoms, which were linked to severe stress and anxiety. These symptoms included extreme migraines, perioral dermatitis, grinding of teeth, muscle tautness, and a difficulty in sleeping.
Despite these health concerns, Dr Cryan posited that Ms West exhibited clear and rational thinking, showing excellent precision in detailing historical aspects. When questioned by Mr Byrnes about her rationality and ability to reason, Dr Cryan said she was quite rational and coherent.
Ms West’s GSAS coworker, Laura Galligan, provided testimony alongside her concerning discrepancies observed in Garda homicide data before the Oireachtas. Ms Galligan expressed her initial thought that identifying something would be praised, was entirely incorrect.
She explicated that she discovered anomalies in 41 cases when she compared the Chief State Pathologist files with the Garda Pulse records, from her time working as a senior scientist. Her methodology was belittled in a report to the Policing Authority as “inherently weak” and “flawed”; a report she and Ms West contributed nothing to. Ms Galligan criticised the dismissive attitudes shown by uniformed officers working with civilian analysts, characterising it as intimidating and demeaning behaviour, as they would often say “Run along, there’s nothing to see here.”
The proceedings at the WRC carried on into the late evening for the second instance that week. For more updates on the situation, subscribe to our Inside Politics Podcast, or register for mobile push alerts for news, analysis, and commentary delivered straight to your phone. Follow The Irish Times on WhatsApp to stay updated.