Sinead Desmond is set to face off against her former employers Virgin Media in the High Court this week in a long-running legal battle over a pay disparity ...
In September, the WRC found that Mark and Sinead could be compared as employees of the station in the terms of the Employment Equality Acts. Sinead claims she was paid less than her colleague because she is a woman. Virgin Media were granted permission to challenge the decision, however Sinead lodged a judicial review to the challenge and they are set to face off once again in the High Court this week, reports the Irish Mail on Sunday. In 2020 the WRC (Workplace Relations Commission) ruled that Sinead was entitled to the same pay as her former Ireland AM co-host Mark Cagney.
A legal challenge taken by Virgin Media to former presenter Sinead Desmond's successful gender-based equal pay claim is back in court.
They pointed to his ‘star quality’ and argued that no-one could have performed the role to the same effect. The broadcaster contested the decision and quickly lodged a judicial review challenge to the ruling in the High Court. At the WRC hearing, lawyers for the station described Mr Cagney – only referred to as ‘Mr X’ – as the ‘star anchor’.