DEC-S2001-012
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF EQUALITY INVESTIGATIONS
Equal Status Act 2000
EQUALITY OFFICER DECISION NO: DEC - S2001-012
Ms Bridget Ann Joyce,
Ms Mary Margaret Joyce,
Ms Margaret Mongon, and
Mr Patrick McDonagh
(Represented by Mr Charles Foley, Solicitor)
-v-
Mr John Madden, Licensee, The Temple Gate Hotel
(Represented by Cahir & Co, Solicitors)
Headnotes:Equal Status Act 2000 - direct discrimination - section 3(1)(a) - membership of the Traveller community - section 5(1) - refusal of service in a hotel bar - prima facie evidence - respondent claimed one of the complainants became abusive - respondent failed to rebut the inference of discrimination.
The complainants claimed that on 8th January, 2001, they went into the bar of the respondent's hotel and ordered tea for four. They claimed that the assistant manager of the hotel approached them shortly afterwards and asked them to leave. They claimed that the reason for their refusal was based on their membership of the Traveller community. The respondent denied that the complainants were asked to leave because they were members of the Traveller community. The respondent claimed that there were two conferences on in the hotel that day and the area where the complainants were sitting was reserved. The respondent claimed that the reason the complainants were refused service was because one of them became abusive.