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Dot Kirby leaves BBC after settlement
Tuesday, 6 January 2009
BBC Northern Ireland’s long-serving Health Correspondent Dot Kirby is leaving her job, after a resolution was reached on victimisation and discrimination complaints against the corporation.
Ms Kirby is taking ill-heath retirement having battled Multiple Sclerosis for 20 years.
She submitted complaints against the BBC last year, alleging victimisation and discrimination on grounds of disability, age and sex.
Her employer denied all the allegations, and has now reached an agreement without admitting liability.
The reporter — who has held the high-profile Health Correspondent’s post since 1994 — is understood to have received a payment equivalent to one year’s salary.
The resolution of the case was made public last night in a statement issued by the Equality Commission. It said: “The BBC’s Health Correspondent, Dot Kirby, has reached an agreement with the BBC in resolution of complaints she made to the Industrial Tribunal.
“Dot Kirby has been employed by the BBC since August 1986, and has been Health Correspondent since 1994. She has had MS for 20 years and her condition worsened over the past ten years.
“Dot Kirby submitted claims to the Industrial Tribunal in May and October 2008, alleging direct disability discrimination, disability related discrimination, victimisation, failure to make reasonable adjustments, sex discrimination and age discrimination. The BBC denies all of the allegations. Without admission of liability, Ms Kirby and the BBC have now reached an agreement.”
Eileen Lavery, Head of Strategic Enforcement in the Equality Commission, said the Commission was happy to see the matter resolved to the satisfaction of both parties.
A BBC staff source last night voiced concern at the declining number of senior female on-screen Newsline reporters.
“This seems to be a growing trend. Rose Neill went last year and now Dot. Maggie Taggart and Donna Traynor are the only two senior journalists aged over 40 left,” the source said.
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As a sufferer of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), I am very grateful for all of Dot Kirby's efforts to highlight the need for greater funding for anti-TNF drugs, for the treatment of people with RA in Northern Ireland.
Dot was an inspiration to me on the occasions that I met her. I think it a shame that the BBC would not do all that they could to retain someone with her experience and determination in highlighting the health issues facing people in Northern Ireland.
Thank you Dot. I hope you have a happy retirement!
Posted by Andrea | 07.01.09, 20:18 GMT
Sorry to see Dot going , she was an excellent reporter , she will be sadly missed , I wish her all the bst in the future , as a parent who has a daughter with MS for 12yrs and is pallet of Care with 24/7 care with her parents and others caring for her, we admire her so much as we watched her reporting on BBC
Posted by D.Livingstone | 06.01.09, 23:00 GMT
Good Girl !
The BBC seem to have trouble with real people . Maybe they should take a good look at themselves and reflect that it is real people paying the licence fee that keeps the BBC in very nice salaries ?
Posted by Timbo | 06.01.09, 22:30 GMT
She's been a real inspiration especially as her condition so noticeably worsened, Well done for standing up against a huge corporation
Posted by sandra | 06.01.09, 19:51 GMT
I have admired dot kirby's professional journalism for many years. She has an inate ability to get to the heart of her subject and on many occasions has challenged the use of public money in the NHS.
Her integrity,determination and pertinent questioning have been the mainstay of her journalism and characterised the way she lead many reports.
I and my family wish her well and Northern Ireland must be grateful for her years of valuable investigative journalism and the sustinct way she reported on our televisions weekly.
I hope the BBC can replace her with someone with such a 'gut feeling' for accuracy and command of the subject.
Posted by ted | 06.01.09, 18:44 GMT
Dot Kirby was very helpful to me several years ago when my daughter who had just been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, could not get MS drug, inter-feron beta, because of the post code she lived in. Dot returned my telephone call and pointed me in the right direction. She had plenty of time to talk to me.
Thank you Dot and may I wish you a long and happy retirement.
Posted by Michael Little | 06.01.09, 15:49 GMT
I was very saddened to hear that Dot Kirby was leaving the BBC and even more so to hear the way in which she was treated - I would have thought a big organisation like BBC would have treated their staff better especially those with disabilities.
I wish Dot every happiness in her early retirement and must say it will not be the same without her.
Good Luck Dot!
Posted by Elizabeth Murphy | 06.01.09, 14:46 GMT