HIV Ireland chief tells WRC charity pulled out of HSE campaign launch over online 'slagging'
At the Workplace Relations Commission, HIV Ireland's chief executive said the charity withdrew from the launch of the HSE's You, Me and HIV programme because of online abuse. The hearing concerns a whistleblower penalisation complaint by manager Erin Nugent.
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Left · 1HIV Ireland chief executive Stephen O'Hare told the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) that the charity pulled out of the launch of the HSE's You, Me and HIV programme because of online "slagging" and claims by the campaign's ambassadors that there was "corruption" at the charity. The Irish TimesLC “HIV Ireland pulled out of the launch of the HSE’s You, Me and HIV programme last year because of online “slagging” and claims by the campaign’s ambassadors that there was “corruption” at the charity” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Left · 1O'Hare gave the evidence under cross-examination on Monday, at a hearing where the charity is defending a complaint of whistleblower penalisation brought by veteran manager Erin Nugent, who has worked at the charity since 1995. The Irish TimesLC “Stephen O’Hare was under cross-examination on Monday at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), where the charity is defending a complaint of whistleblower penalisation brought by veteran manager Erin Nugent.”“who has worked at the charity since 1995” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Left · 1Nugent faces disciplinary action, currently on hold, after being accused of bullying and harassment of colleagues and insubordination towards O'Hare; the charity said the process is on "pause" pending the outcome of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 complaint. The Irish TimesLC “is facing disciplinary action, currently on hold, after being accused of bullying and harassment toward colleagues and insubordination towards O’Hare.” Read at The Irish Times ↗
Left · 1Nugent's union, Fórsa, says the disciplinary action is meant to "punish" Nugent for raising concerns about HIV Ireland's financial governance and alleged discontent with the charity among people living with HIV. The Irish TimesLC “Her trade union, Fórsa, says this is to “punish” her for voicing concerns about HIV Ireland’s financial governance” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Left · 1Nugent also maintains that they have been "disappeared" as the public face of HIV Ireland; the charity disputes this, and its counsel Aoife McMahon said Nugent was prevented from attending only one related event, the January 2025 launch of the HSE programme. The Irish TimesLC “Counsel for the charity Aoife McMahon said Nugent was only prevented from attending one related event”“The organisation disputes Nugent’s claim that she has been “disappeared” as the public face of HIV Ireland” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Left · 1O'Hare said that after World Aids Day on 1 December 2024 the charity faced "commentary" from members of the public and activists alleging corruption, misappropriation of funds and fraud, including from people engaged by the HSE for You, Me and HIV; he called the comments "very nasty" and "bordering on personally offensive". The Irish TimesLC ““They were alleging corruption, misappropriation of funds, alleging fraud at the organisation, and the people doing that were the people who were engaged by the HSE in their own publicity campaign, You, Me and HIV,” O’Hare said.”“The comments were “very nasty” and “bordering on personally offensive”, he said.” Read at The Irish Times ↗
Left · 1HIV Ireland staff, including Nugent, were due to take part in the launch on 15 January 2025, but O'Hare decided the charity would not participate; he said he told the HSE the day before that its ambassadors were saying defamatory things about HIV Ireland on social media, and that the HSE was "unhappy" with the charity's stance. The Irish TimesLC “HIV Ireland staff, including Nugent, were due to participate in a launch event for the HSE campaign on January 15th, 2025, he said.”“The HSE was “unhappy” with HIV Ireland’s stance, he added.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Left · 1O'Hare said other staff came to him in late 2024 about interactions with Nugent in which financial matters were discussed, and the tribunal heard he had earlier urged the board to take disciplinary action, citing "borderline insubordination" and "bullying behaviour". The Irish TimesLC “He had earlier in the year urged the charity’s board to take disciplinary action against Nugent, writing in a letter that he believed her to be engaged in “borderline insubordination” and “bullying behaviour”, the tribunal heard.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Left · 1Louise O'Hara of Fórsa, for Nugent, put it to O'Hare that he had "presided over the decline of relations and functions" and used it to bring disciplinary action against a whistleblower; he replied that none of this was correct. The Irish TimesLC ““No, none of what you said there is correct,” the chief executive said.” Read at The Irish Times ↗
Left · 1Adjudication officer Breiffni O'Neill has concluded the hearings and said he intends to issue his decision in January. The Irish TimesLC “Adjudication officer Breiffni O’Neill has concluded hearings on the case and told the parties he intends to issue his decision in January.” Read at The Irish Times ↗ Right · 1The Irish Independent, in a report by the same byline, headlined that the charity refused to take part in the HSE's HIV awareness drive event over alleged online "slagging". Irish IndependentRC “Charity refused to take part in HSE’s HIV awareness drive event over alleged online ‘slagging’” Read at Irish Independent ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- The Irish Times gives a detailed account of the hearing, leading on O'Hare's evidence about the withdrawal from the HSE launch, and sets out both the charity's and Nugent's union's positions.
- Emphasis
- The charity's reasons for withdrawing, the disciplinary background, Fórsa's allegation of punishment, and the timetable for the decision.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not give any HSE response beyond O'Hare's account that it was unhappy.
- Charged language
- “slagging”“disappeared”“punish”
- For example
-
“HIV Ireland quit HSE programme due to ‘slagging’ and claims of corruption, WRC told” — The Irish Times
“Charity defends complaint of whistleblower penalisation brought by veteran manager accused of bullying” — The Irish Times
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- The Irish Independent headline centres on the charity's refusal to take part in the HSE awareness event over alleged online 'slagging', without reference to the whistleblower complaint in the headline.
- Emphasis
- The charity's withdrawal from the HSE event and the alleged online abuse.
- Leaves out or plays down
- The headline does not mention the whistleblower penalisation complaint or Fórsa's allegations.
- Charged language
- “slagging”
- For example
-
“Charity refused to take part in HSE’s HIV awareness drive event over alleged online ‘slagging’” — Irish Independent
What every side reports
- HIV Ireland did not take part in the launch of the HSE's You, Me and HIV campaign over alleged online 'slagging'.
- The evidence was given at the Workplace Relations Commission, where HIV Ireland is defending a complaint by Erin Nugent.
Where accounts differ
-
Whether Nugent was penalised for whistleblowing
- Left
- Fórsa says the disciplinary action is meant to punish Nugent for raising financial governance concerns; the charity says the action is over alleged bullying and insubordination, and O'Hare rejected the suggestion he overstepped.
- Right
- The Independent headline focuses on the charity's refusal to take part in the HSE event over alleged slagging.
HIV Ireland organisation
Through chief executive Stephen O'Hare and counsel, says it withdrew from the HSE launch because campaign ambassadors made defamatory claims online, and denies penalising Nugent.
“O’Hare decided HIV Ireland would not participate in the HSE campaign in view of the fact its ambassadors were “openly slagging” his staff and organisation, he said.” — The Irish Times
Health Service Executive organisation
According to O'Hare, the HSE was unhappy with HIV Ireland's stance; no HSE statement is reported.
“The HSE was “unhappy” with HIV Ireland’s stance, he added.” — The Irish Times
Workplace Relations Commission organisation
Adjudication officer Breiffni O'Neill has finished hearing the case and intends to issue a decision in January.
“Adjudication officer Breiffni O’Neill has concluded hearings on the case and told the parties he intends to issue his decision in January.” — The Irish Times
Left1 article
-
HIV Ireland quit HSE programme due to ‘slagging’ and claims of corruption, WRC told
Neutral Detailed hearing report presenting O'Hare's evidence alongside Fórsa's and Nugent's allegations.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
Charity refused to take part in HSE’s HIV awareness drive event over alleged online ‘slagging’
Neutral Headline frames the story as the charity's refusal to join an HSE event over alleged online slagging.
- 6 Oct 15:33 First The Irish TimesLC HIV Ireland quit HSE programme due to ‘slagging’ and claims of corruption, WRC told
- 6 Oct 17:06 +1h 34m Irish IndependentRC Charity refused to take part in HSE’s HIV awareness drive event over alleged online ‘slagging’
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.