Four Travellers who were refused service in a Dublin pub were yesterday awarded a total of €4,500 in compensation.
In its latest decision, the Office of the Director of Equality Investigations (ODEI) found the Drogheda Lodge Pub (O'Riordans) in Finglas had discriminated against the four - two men and two women - because of their membership of the Traveller community.
The four, one of whom had been a regular at the pub, claimed that after they were admitted by a doorman on July 7th last year, they were refused service. They were told, they said, that the manager had instructed they were not to be served and they were asked to leave. No reason was given.
The pub stated that the bar operated a very strict admission policy. It also operated a dress code which required doormen to watch for clothing and "other items which may identify someone as rough looking".
A member of staff interviewed by equality officer Mr Brian O'Byrne said one of the women was wearing a "flimsy summer dress" and big earrings which he considered "tasteless". He sought the opinion of the manager.
The manager said there had been a very serious incident involving Travellers in the pub in 1998, and the woman's appearance reminded him of someone involved in that incident.
The equality officer ruled that the decision to refuse the four service was taken because a totally different group of Travellers had caused a disturbance three years previously and because one of the women was "rough looking". He found no consideration was given to the four as individuals.
He awarded three of the Travellers €1,000 each and the fourth, who had been a regular at the pub, €1,500 "for the humiliation, loss of amenity and particularly the distress suffered by them".
In a separate case, the ODEI found against 10 Travellers who claimed they were discriminated against by the owner of the Leinster Arms in Maynooth on November 28th, 2000, when they were refused service. The publican said they were barred as a result of three earlier incidents of misbehaviour in the pub.