Office of the Director of Equality Investigations
Equal Status Act 2000
Equality Officer's Decision Number: DEC-S2002-136
Ms Mary O'Reilly
(Represented by John M. Spencer Solicitors, Nenagh)
V
Mr Noel Ryan, Chemist
Nenagh
File No. ES/2001/148
Date of Issue:12/12/2002
Headnotes:Equal Status Act, 2000 - Direct Discrimination, section 3(1)(a) - Membership of the Traveller community, section 3(2)(i) - disposal of goods and services, section 5(1) - refusal of service in a shop - requests for information - drawing of inferences.
This dispute concerns a claim by Ms O'Reilly that she was discriminated against by the respondent, contrary to the Equal Status Act 2000, on the grounds that she is a member of the Traveller community in that on 4/1/2001, 15/1/2001 and on 25/1/2001 she was denied service in the respondent's premises. The respondent does not deny that service was not provided, but submits that it was on grounds other than the complainant's membership of the Traveller community.