One of Fair City's most well-known stars has taken a case against RTÉ at the Workplace Relations Commission.
Tony Tormey, who plays Paul Brennan on the long-running soap, says he is legally entitled to a contract of indefinite duration with the broadcaster.
RTÉ has denied the claim saying the actor was always happy to be a self-employed contractor.
It said he has earned between €99,000 and €150,000 a year in recent times for his part in the show.
His case under the Protection of Employees (Fixed-Term Work) Act 2003 heard legal submissions this morning.
Conor Bowman SC, who appeared for Mr Tormey, said his client became entitled to a contract of indefinite duration "by operation of law" in 2004, when the act came into force.
He said his client had already been on a series of "rollover" contracts dating back to 1989.
Adjudicating officer Breiffni O'Neill put it to counsel that if he was to award a contract of indefinite duration in the case, it was not clear what terms and condition of employment might apply to it.
He said that these must have changed over the course of an engagement spanning several decades.
Mr Bowman said his client's terms "haven’t changed at all" and that the only change was a fall in the amount of work offered by RTÉ during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The tribunal was told Mr Tormey worked an average of 31 filming weeks a year and was earning €4,500 per week when he lodged his complaint papers.
"Mr Tormey himself declared himself an independent contractor," said Mairead McKenna SC, appearing for RTÉ.
She said Mr Tormey's earnings had varied year-to-year - from €150,000 in 2016 to €99,000 the following year.
Mr Tormey is understood to be one of three veteran Fair City actors pursuing similar claims before the employment tribunal.
The case was adjourned until next month.
