TV presenter Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh will claim she was sexually harassed and victimised in RTE it emerged today.
It’s understood the popular telly star has lodged a complaint under the Employment Equality Act against the State broadcaster.
The 51-year-old, who presented The Afternoon Show, Echo Island and was a former judge on The All Ireland Talent Show, is alleging discrimination by way of harassment and victimisation. Her lawyers claim she was sexually harassed.
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It’s understood a barrister for RTE said the station was denying the allegations at a preliminary hearing of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in Dublin today.
Today RTE told the Mirror it had no comment to make on the matter. The Mirror requested a comment from Ms NiChofaigh but none was forthcoming.
The mum-of-four, a fluent Gaelgeoir, has been in RTE most of her working life.
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She did not attend the hearing today, but was legally represented by a barrister and solicitors. RTE lawyers were at the hearing to defend the station.
The alleged perpetrators of the harassment will remain anonymous by order of the WRC.
It’s believed there was an internal RTE investigation in which three individuals were named, one of them a ‘public figure’, according to an Irish Times report.
The TV star is due to give evidence at a public hearing in June and outline her claims. Her lawyers claim she was sexually harassed and victimised. RTE denies the allegations.
Blathnaid, who was born in Canada, but raised in the Rath Chairn Gaeltacht in Co Meath, is one of Ireland’s best-loved TV stars.
She has taken part in hit show Celebrity Bainisteoir and has often presented RTE’s St Patrick’s Day coverage live in Dublin. She now lives in the capital.
She presented Sin E and was a reporter for RTE news and current affairs. She has also hosted Charity ICA Bootcamp.
Her first role as TV presenter was on the teenage show Jo Maxi around 30 years ago.
In 2007 she was voted one of Ireland’s sexiest women in a Sunday newspaper poll.
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