Longford man who took successful age discrimination case launches new book
The book is Gerry’s account of a career in engineering and public service that extended over four decades.
A Longford man who took a successful case regarding discrimination while working as an engineer for Longford County Council and was awarded €8,000 has launched a new book.
The publication entitled ‘Discrimination: My Ordeals as a Longford County Council Engineer’ by Gerry Murtagh was formally launched by Independent Ireland MEP Ciarán Mullooly was in Longford Golf Club on Friday, October 2.
The book is Gerry’s account of a career in engineering and public service that extended over four decades.
Born in Longford in 1944, Gerry first joined Longford County Council as a temporary clerical officer in 1964.
After graduating in civil engineering from UCG in 1969, he worked in private practice and with several local authorities before retiring in 2009.
The book records both the satisfaction Gerry found in engineering and the disputes, changes in responsibility and promotion processes that he believed were unfair.
One central episode concerns his January 2004 interview for the position of National Roads Authority Liaison Engineer at Senior Executive Engineer level. Gerry challenged the process after obtaining records through Freedom of Information.
In June 2007, the Equality Tribunal found that he had established a prima facie case of age discrimination which Longford County Council had failed to rebut.
The Tribunal awarded him €8,000 and ordered the Council to introduce open and transparent record keeping for interview boards so that the basis of their decisions could be identified.
Gerry, who enjoys playing bridge and participating in Longford Men’s Shed, explained, “I wrote this book because decisions made in public bodies affect real lives. Recruitment and promotion should be fair, properly recorded and open to scrutiny.
“I hope my account contributes to better workplaces and better public service.”