Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin has received a formal apology from University College Dublin over her harassment ordeal involving a former colleague.
The broadcaster opened up about her experience for the first time in September 2020.
Aoibhinn started working in UCD in late 2014 on a temporary assignment, before she was contracted as an assistant lecturer after she completed her PhD.
During a candid interview with The Irish Times, Aoibhinn revealed her colleague Prof Hans-Benjamin Braun began harassing her in 2015, and it continued for two years before she decided to officially report the harassment to the Gardaí.
Following a Garda investigation, Mr Braun was brought to court in late 2019, and the 58-year-old was charged with harassment under section 10 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997.
The court heard the harassment took place between May 9th, 2015, and July 7th, 2017, and issued an order barring the professor from contacting Aoibhinn for five years.
Aoibhinn has since received a formal apology on behalf of the university from the Acting President of UCD, Professor Mark Rogers.
On Thursday, the broadcaster shared a photo of the written apology, in which Professor Rogers admitted the response from the university at the time was “inadequate”.
Alongside the photo, the mother-of-two wrote: “Thank you sincerely to Acting President Prof. Mark Rogers for this formal apology from UCD.”
“It is great relief to be able to move on from this with the acknowledgment that my experiences were not adequately or appropriately dealt with.”
Thank you sincerely to Acting President Prof. Mark Rogers for this formal apology from @ucddublin.
It is great relief to be able to move on from this with the acknowledgment that my experiences were not adequately or appropriately dealt with.
Thank you also to @ifut #JoinAUnion pic.twitter.com/xG4F1vRvxs— Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin (@aoibhinn_ni_s) December 22, 2022
“I’m so grateful for my friends & family who never let me let this go. I really hope others don’t experience what I went through,” she continued.
“I hope my kids will grow up & study or work in environments that don’t accept bullying, harassment or violence in any form. This is a great way to end 2022 & close the chapter on this.”
“One big lesson I’ve learned is to #JoinAUnion. Thank you again to IFUT (Irish Federation of University Teachers) for their amazing support. I wish I had joined sooner (I only joined last year).”
“Nollaig Shona everyone,” Aoibhinn added.
