WRC Dismisses unfair dismissal complaint Against Kate O'Connell

The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has dismissed a constructive unfair dismissal complaint filed by a former senior support pharmacist who alleged he was bullied by former Fine Gael TD Kate O’Connell and her husband, Morgan O’Connell. Marwan Al Rahbi, who worked at the couple’s Rathgar pharmacy in Co Dublin from May 2022 to June 2024, claimed he was forced to resign due to unfair treatment and bullying, seeking compensation totaling €216,602.96. The WRC ruled the complaint was not well-founded, finding that while communication shortcomings existed, the employers behaved reasonably.

WRC finds resignation was not reasonable

The ruling centered on whether Al Rahbi’s decision to leave his post constituted a constructive dismissal. Al Rahbi testified that his mental health suffered under Mrs O’Connell’s behavior and that he was overworked, eventually forcing him to move into lower-paid locum work. He further alleged that agreements to take leave for Ramadan were not honored and that he was denied adequate breaks.

However, the WRC determined that the respondents had their own legitimate concerns regarding Al Rahbi’s conduct. The commission noted that because the O’Connells had offered a renewed contract, they believed the existing issues could be resolved. The WRC concluded that Al Rahbi had not acted reasonably in resigning as he did.

Disputed accounts of workplace conduct

A significant portion of the evidence focused on the use of personal phones in the dispensary. Al Rahbi claimed he was reprimanded for an emergency personal call regarding a sick child and for checking work-related WhatsApp groups, noting that the pharmacy provided no work phones. He alleged that Mrs O’Connell treated him poorly in front of staff during a verbal warning in May 2024.

The O’Connells provided a different account. Mrs O’Connell testified that Al Rahbi struggled with negative feedback and exhibited aggressive behavior during a review meeting. Two former co-workers testified that Al Rahbi used his phone excessively during work hours, stating they had witnessed him watching football matches while on duty.

Conflict also extended to the relationship between Al Rahbi and Morgan O’Connell, the superintendent pharmacist. Al Rahbi alleged that after complaining about Mrs O’Connell’s treatment, Mr O’Connell told him to “go the fuck back to work” and told him to accept that Kate was his boss. Mr O’Connell admitted to telling the pharmacist to return to work but denied using profanity.

Al Rahbi resigns after contract extension offer

The timeline of the departure remained a point of contention. Mrs O’Connell testified that Al Rahbi’s two-year contract ended in May 2024. During a review meeting on May 22, 2024, she stated that despite operational concerns regarding phone usage and policy documents, Al Rahbi was doing well in his role and was offered a contract extension on the same terms.

Al Rahbi resigned shortly after that meeting, giving one week’s notice, though he later emailed the pharmacy claiming he had been dismissed rather than having resigned. He ultimately left the employment in June 2024.

Regarding the financial losses claimed, Al Rahbi cited an inability to find permanent work in Ireland, which led to his move to Oman in April 2025. Counsel for the pharmacy refuted this, asserting that Al Rahbi had been offered a salary of €85,000 at a different pharmacy but chose not to accept the position.