Abu Dhabi:The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) says it has recalled the UAE Ambassador from Ireland following a ruling by an Irish court that he allegedly mistreated three staff members.
The ministry issued a statement on Thursday noting that it will probe the allegations as part of the recall.
“The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs is aware of the decision of Ireland’s Employment Appeals Tribunal in a case involving the alleged ill-treatment of domestic staff by the UAE Ambassador to Ireland and his family,” the ministry stated.
“The UAE takes this matter seriously, and accordingly has decided to recall him to Abu Dhabi while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs investigates the issue further, in line with existing procedures.”
Irish media reports said that the Employment Appeals Tribunal in that country awarded €80,000 each to three Filipino staff who filed complaints that they worked 15 hours a day, seven days a week for the ambassador. The workers said that they earned only €2 an hour.
The trio performed chores such as caring for the children and house cleaning.
Complainants Myra Calderon, Jennifer Villaranda, and Laylanie Laporga said they lived in one room in the home of the official which they shared. According to one newspaper report in Ireland, the three woman lost a prior hearing.
The previous hearing officials ruled against them when the ambassador invoked diplomatic immunity, the newspaper reported.
The complainants were said to have travelled to Ireland to assume their work posts for the ambassador several years ago.
— With inputs from WAM
