A HIGH COURT action, taken by a man who was fired from his job with the ESB after being informed he was considered a risk to national infrastructure, has been resolved.
The proceedings were brought by Graham Light, who last week secured a temporary High Court order preventing the termination of his employment with the company.
The order also prevented the ESB from stopping the payment of Light’s salary and benefits.
The matter was listed before the High Court yesterday. However, Justice Paul Gilligan heard that the matter had been resolved and the proceedings could be struck out.
In a sworn statement to the court, Light said he was informed at the meeting with senior company officials that an external security team had advised the ESB that the Gardaí considered him a “person of interest”.
Light was also informed by the officials he was believed to be a security risk to Ireland’s and the UK’s national infrastructure.
Light, with an address at Castlegate Grove, Adamstown in Dublin, said he was taken aback at the accusations, which he denied.
He also said the ESB could not tell him precisely what he was being accused of.
He said he was given a typed letter at the meeting which stated he posed a risk to critical national infrastructure in Ireland, Northern Ireland and GB, and that 11 October was the last day of his employment with the ESB.
He said the meeting was also attended by a trade union official, who said what was happening was highly irregular, unfair and the union had never come across something like this before.
Light was also informed that the ESB, who would not allow him to move to a different department, were open to him resigning instead of being fired.
He was told that he would not be allowed back into the building again and the ESB’s security collected and stuffed most of his belongings into a bag.
As he left the premises Light said it appeared there was extra security on the floor and in reception.
He claimed his purported dismissal was hugely damaging and had caused irreparable harm to his career and reputation.
36-year-old Light, who has qualifications in insurance, added he had an exemplary record and had been promoted after he commenced working with the ESB in 2016.
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