OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF EQUALITY INVESTIGATIONS
Equal Status Act 2000
EQUALITY OFFICER'S DECISIONS NO: DEC-S2002-023/024/025
Catherine Dooley, Bridget Dooley & Margaret Dooley
-V-
The Cutting Crew Hairdressing Salon, Cork
File No. ES/2001/501-503
Date of Issue 25/3/2002
Headnotes:Equal Status Act, 2000 - Direct discrimination, Section 3(1)(a) - Traveller community ground by association, section 3(1)(b) - Traveller community ground, Section 3(2)(i) - Disposal of goods and supply of services, Section 5(1) - Refusal of service in a hairdressing salon - prima facie case - refused because of previous conduct - Activities not discrimination, Section 15 (1).
This dispute concerns a claim by the complainants (a) that they were discriminated against by the proprietor of the Cutting Crew hairdressing salon, contrary to the Equal Status Act, 2000, on the grounds that they are members of the Traveller community or (b) that they were discriminated against because they were associated by the respondent with members of the Traveller community who had previously caused trouble on the respondent's premises. The complainants allege that they were discriminated against by the respondent when they were refused service in the salon on 29 May, 2001. The respondent denies that the complainants were discriminated against and states that neither Bridget nor Margaret Dooley sought service on the date in question and the only reason service was refused to Catherine Dooley on 29 May, 2001 was because of previous unacceptable behaviour on her part, in the salon.