Tom Stokes, Robert Stokes and John Mongan each referred a claim to the Director of Equality Investigations under the Equal Status Act 2000. In accordance with her powers under section 75 of the Employment Equality Act, the Director then delegated the case to me, Bernadette Treanor, an Equality Officer, for investigation, hearing and decision and for the exercise of other relevant functions of the Director under Part III of the Equal Status Act.
Background
These cases were assigned to me on 23rd November 2005. In January 2006 all parties were sent notice that the cases had been assigned to me and that the hearing would take place on 1st March 2006. On the day of the hearing, the respondent attended with his legal representative. On the Friday before the hearing the complainants had requested that the hearing be put off and based on the information submitted this was refused. On the day of the hearing the complainants failed to appear.
Decision DEC-S2006-024
As the complainants failed to appear for the hearing they have failed to support the allegations made in the documents submitted to the Tribunal. On that basis I find that they have failed to establish a prima facie case of discrimination on the Traveller ground and therefore this decision is in favour of the respondent.
Bernadette Treanor
Equality Officer
6th April 2006