Diplomatic Briefing
Your exclusive news aggregator handpicked daily!Archive for November 20, 2022
Newsline: Former housekeeper at Brazilian embassy in Ireland to receive €21,000 for unfair dismissal
A housekeeper who spent more than 20 years working at the official residence of the Brazilian ambassador to Ireland has secured an order for over €21,000 for unfair dismissal. She was told in May 2021 that her job was to be terminated that July “as she had not accepted the respondent’s offer”. (https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2022/1117/1336719-brazilian-ambassadors-former-housekeeper-wins-wrc-case/) The Workplace Relations Commission found there was a “near absence” of fair procedures in her sacking, which came after the failure to reach agreement over the removal of a housing clause from her contract. Alessandra Quinn’s claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act against the Embassy of Brazil was upheld by the Workplace Relations Commission. However, it was found that the embassy had failed to show “substantial grounds” justifying Ms Quinn’s dismissal and that there was a “near absence” of fair and proper procedures. It was found the complaint to be well-founded and awarded Ms Quinn €21,793 for her seven months’ lost earnings before she was able to secure a new job.
Newsline: Azerbaijan to become first Shi’ite Muslim country with embassy in Israel
Azerbaijan is set to become the first Shi’ite Muslim-majority state to open an embassy in Israel, following parliamentary approval on Friday. Prime Minister Yair Lapid praised the decision, calling Azerbaijan “an important partner of Israel and home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the Muslim world. “The decision to open an embassy reflects the depth of the relations between the countries,” Lapid added. “This move is the fruit of efforts by the Israeli government to build strong diplomatic bridges with the Muslim world.” (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-722774) The new embassy, which The Jerusalem Post reported was in the works last month, will be in Tel Aviv, where the country already has a Tourism Office and a Trade Representative Office. Israel and Azerbaijan have had relations for 30 years, and there has been an Israeli embassy in Baku since 1993.
Newsline: Ireland denies plans to expel Russian ambassador
There are no plans to expel Russian ambassador to Ireland Yuriy Filatov, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said. Mr Coveney was speaking after it was confirmed that 52 key representatives from the Republic of Ireland have been placed on a sanction list for expressing what the Kremlin claimed was “Russophobic sentiment”. (https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2022/11/19/no-plans-to-expel-russian-ambassador-but-review-of-embassy-presence-is-ongoing-coveney-says/) Six senior politicians were named including Micheál Martin, Leo Varadkar and Mr Coveney. Mr Coveney said it is essentially a list of most Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil politicians who are banned from travelling to Russia.
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