A mother and her two daughters who were working at Browne’s Steakhouse in Blanchardstown on Christmas Eve in December 2023 when a double murder took place have been awarded a cumulative €53,529 for a series of workplace breaches by their former employer.
This follows Workplace Relations Commission Adjudicator Catherine Byrne ordering San Siro Ltd, trading as Browne’s Steakhouse, to pay Vjola Ajredini and her two daughters, Amanda Ajredini and Adisa Ajredini the estimated €53,529 that comprises statutory redundancy payments and compensation for a series of workplace breaches.
Vjola Ajredini was employed as General Manager at Browne’s Steakhouse and has been awarded €28,944 that includes an estimated €20,556 in statutory redundancy.
Her daughter and assistant restaurant manager Amanda Ajredini has been awarded €19,827 that includes an estimated €17,288 in statutory redundancy.
Ms Byrne has also ordered that ex-part time waitress, Adisa Ajredini at Browne’s Steakhouse receive €4,758 that includes an estimated €2,626 in statutory redundancy.
The restaurant never reopened after a double murder on its premises on December 24 2023 when Tristan Sherry fatally shot Jason Hennessy Snr and Mr Sherry was then murdered at the scene.
At the Special Criminal Court in February, three men, Michael Andrecut (23) of Sheephill Avenue in Blanchardstown, Noah Musueni (18) of Corduff Park in Blanchardstown and David Amah (19) from Hazel Grove, Portrane Road in Donabate were convicted of Mr Sherry’s murder.
During the trial last November, Amanda and Adisa Ajredini described to the Special Criminal Court the “terrifying” moment when they took shelter under a hail of gunfire at the busy steakhouse as a masked attacker shot Mr Hennessy before being beaten to death.
Amanda Ajredini was working at the bar at Browne’s Steakhouse while her mother and sister were on the floor of the restaurant on Christmas Eve 2023.
After seeing a masked gunman, Amanda Ajredini told the Special Criminal Court that she screamed: “Mam, mam, mam, he has a gun,” because she knew her mother was somewhere in the restaurant, but couldn’t see her.
Adisa Ajredini was stationed in the area of the restaurant where the large Hennessy party had gathered.
In her own eye-witness testimony at the Special Criminal Court, Adisa Ajredini told the court she dragged her mother under a table to shelter after hearing what she thought was machine-gun fire.
Ms Adisa Ajredini – who now works for Ryanair – said that she heard shots fired from what sounded to her like a machine gun. She estimated that she heard 20 shots before seeing her mother “crawling and seeking shelter”.
She could see that the restaurant was “wrecked” and noticed the man in black who had walked past her earlier lying on the ground surrounded by blood.
At the WRC, Adisa Ajredini said that despite her best efforts after the restaurant closed she said that she has had no contact with the owner, Gregory Browne, concerning her claim for a redundancy payment.
She said that she expected to be invited to a meeting, but nothing happened. She was unemployed and on jobseekers’ benefit and she used up all her savings before she found another job in September 2024.
Vjola Ajredini told the WRC said that she was traumatised because of what happened and she did not feel well enough to go back to work at the restaurant.
Amanda Ajredini told the WRC that she was in contact with Mr Browne in January 2024, about re-opening the restaurant and she said that the employees expected to be invited to a meeting, but nothing happened.
Alleging another workplace breach, Adisa Ajredini said that until 2023, when she worked on Sundays, she got no additional allowance. When she worked on public holidays, she got no extra pay.
Ms Adisa Ajredini said that if a customer left the restaurant without paying their bill, the staff had to cover the loss from their tips.
Adisa Ajredini told the WRC that each night €20 was deducted from tips to cover the cost of broken glasses. When the amount earned in tips was not adequate, Ms Ajredini said that the staff had to make up the cost of the breakages themselves.
San Siro Ltd did not appear at the WRC to rebut any of the claims made by the Ajredinis.
In the case of Adisa Ajredini, Ms Byrne directed that San Siro Ltd pay Ms Ajredini €1,032 as she was entitled to four weeks notice under section 4 of the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act along with her estimated statutory redundancy payment of €2,626.
Ms Byrne also found Ms Adisa Ajredini’s complaint under the Organisation of Working Time Act is well founded and directed that San Siro Ltd pay her €700 which is equivalent to an additional €3.50 per hour for working 200 hours on 27 Sundays between June 11 and December 24 2023.
Ms Byrne also found that a separate complaint by Ms Adisa Ajredini under the Organisation of Working Time Act is well founded and directed San Siro Ltd to pay Ms €400 as compensation for her entitlement to a benefit for four public holidays that fell on August 7, October 30 and December 25 and 26 2023.
In relation to Amanda Ajredini, Ms Byrne directed that San Siro Ltd pay Ms Ajredini €2,032 as she was entitled to four weeks notice under section 4 of the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act.
Ms Byrne also directed that San Siro Ltd pay Amanda Ajredini €507.70 as compensation for her entitlement to a benefit for four public holidays that fell on August 7th, October 30th and December 25th and 26th 2023 and is also entitled to a statutory redundancy payment.
Ms Byrne also directed San Siro Ltd to pay Vjola Ajredini €6,154 as she was entitled to four weeks notice under section 4 of the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act.
Ms Byrne also ordered San Siro Ltd pay Vjola Ajredini a combined €2,234 for two complaints under the Organisation of Working Time Act along with her estimated statutory redundancy payment.
Reporting by Gordon Deegan
