The Mid Western Health Board discriminated against the acting deputy matron of Limerick Regional Hospital on the grounds of sex, according to the Director of Equality Investigations.
The office has recommended the board pay her the wages she would have earned as temporary matron and £3,000 compensation. The claim was made by the Irish Nurses Organisation on behalf of Ms Maura Fitzgerald, who had acted in the past as matron in the hospital when the matron was absent.
The position was becoming vacant again, this time for a period of six months. The board decided to appoint an acting matron by confined competition. Ms Fitzgerald applied, but a male applicant was appointed. The claim was referred to an equality officer.
The union claimed the advertisement was not necessary because Ms Fitzgerald held the position of acting deputy matron, and had acted as matron in the past when she was absent.
The board argued that Ms Fitzgerald was acting deputy matron only of the Regional Hospital at Dooradoyle, and that the position was for the whole Limerick Regional Hospital complex.
The equality officer, Ms Gerardine Coyle, said in her report there were no notes of the interviews for the position, and no set questions asked of each candidate.
She added that the board had been unable to confirm how marks were determined under "managerial capacity and general suitability".
"I can only conclude that the respondent wanted a male for the position and in appointing the male candidate discriminated against the claimant on the basis of her sex," she said.
It is understood that the board has appealed the recommendation to the Labour Court.