OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF EQUALITY INVESTIGATIONS
Equal Status Act 2000
EQUALITY OFFICER'S DECISION NO: DEC-S2002-129-130
Geraldine & William Stokes
(represented by Clondalkin Travellers Development Group)
V
Centra Store, Westmoreland Street, Dublin
File No. ES/2001/284 & 285
Date of Issue 26/11/2002
Headnotes:Equal Status Act, 2000 - Discrimination, Section 3(1)(a) - Membership of the Traveller community, Section 3(2)(i) - Disposal of goods and supply of services, Section 5(1) - Prima facie case.
This dispute concerns claims by Geraldine and William Stokes that they were discriminated against, by the respondent, contrary to the Equal Status Act 2000, on the grounds that they are members of the Traveller community when they were refused service in the respondent's premises on 20 February, 2001. The respondent denies that the complainants were discriminated against and states that William Stokes was refused service because of an earlier shoplifting incident in which he was involved and that Geraldine Stokes was only refused service when she became abusive to the respondent and the shop's manageress.