DEC-S2002-057-060
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF EQUALITY INVESTIGATIONS
Equal Status Act 2000
EQUALITY OFFICER'S DECISION NOs: DEC-S2002-057 / 060
Eileen Delaney, Hannah Carthy, Cathleen O'Reilly and Margaret O'Reilly
(represented by Ms Carmel O'Connor)
v
Paris Texas Bar, Kilkenny
(represented by Michael Lanigan & Co)
File No. ES/2001/380,387,394 &401
Date of Issue 31/05/2002
Key words:Equal Status Act 2000 - Direct discrimination, section 3(1)(a) - Membership of the Traveller community, section 3(2)(i) - Supply of goods and services, section 5(1) - Refusal of admission to pub - Production of ID - Rebuttal of allegation of discrimination
This dispute concerns a complaint by Eileen Delaney, Hannah Carthy, Cathleen O'Reilly and Margaret O'Reilly that they were discriminated against on the Traveller community ground in terms of sections 3(1) and 3(2)(i) of the Equal Status Act 2000 in not being provided with a service which is generally available to the public contrary to Section 5(1) of the Act. The complainants state that when they sought admission to the Paris Texas Bar on 19 January 2001, they were refused by the doorman. The complainants claim that they were refused service on the grounds of their membership of the Traveller community. The respondents deny that they operate a discriminatory policy against Travellers. They maintain that they operate a strict security code and that the complainants were not admitted because they could not produce acceptable ID.