Rachel Kearney of Kill, Co Kildare, told the tribunal how she became "weak at the knees" and cried on her way home after being told by the hotel's general manager in January 2006 to leave the premises immediately as she had been caught on camera having drinks at the bar. The manager claimed Kearney had consumed the drinks while on duty.

The hotel had employed a private detective to install hidden cameras in the function room after it received a "tipoff" that money was being taken. The covert operation unearthed the theft of 800 but the hotel acknowledges that Kearney had "nothing to do with the theft."

However, the cameras did pick up Kearney having drinks at the bar and the hotel said this was strictly forbidden. Kearney, who worked for the famous Dublin hotel for 10 years and previously for hotels abroad, said it was common practice for staff to have a drink at the end of the night. Staff drinks were supposed to be written into a black book but this was rarely done.

She said that she had been in charge of a birthday party for twin brothers and the customer was so happy with the way the function went that he put money behind the bar to buy the staff a drink, particularly Kearney.

Kearney said that she took these drinks . . . one at 11.36pm and another after midnight . . . after the "shutters had come down on the bar" at 11.30pm, and therefore she was not on duty.

The conference and banqueting manager confirmed that on occasion staff did have a drink after work, and added that Kearney was a good employee and was "next in line for his job".

The tribunal said it was satisfied that while hotel rules were vague about finishing times, Kearney had consumed the first drink after the bar closed and therefore was "not on duty."