Former Virgin Media presenter accuses station of stonewalling on gender pay gap

Sinéad Desmond has claimed in court filings that her former co-presenter Mark Cagney was paid a far higher salary ‘because he is a man’

Sinead Desmond and Mark Cagney: Desmond has alleged that Virgin Media hired her in 2006 on a salary of €65,000 with the promise that it would be increased to €100,000. Picture: Brian McEvoy

Virgin Media was aware of gender pay gap issues for 11 years before an employment case was taken against it, one of its former presenters has claimed in court filings.

Sinéad Desmond, who was an Ireland AM presenter before she resigned in 2017, also alleged that Virgin Media hired her in 2006 on a salary of €65,000, which she agreed “on a trial basis”, with the promise that it would be increased to €100,000, a ...