Traveller advocate fined €2,400

THE EQUALITY Tribunal has ordered a Traveller advocate to pay Clare County Council €2,400 for "obstructing and impeding the investigation" of 12 discrimination cases brought by Traveller families against the council.

Earlier this year, the council confirmed that it has spent over €150,000 on legal fees defending about 1,000 complaints made to the Equality Authority by Travellers in cases that were lodged by Ms Heather Rosen.

All cases have been thrown out by the Equality Tribunal because the complainants did not turn up to give evidence at the hearings.

Yesterday, the Equality Tribunal dismissed 12 separate cases of complaints against the council for harassment and discrimination and stated that a number of the Travellers did not turn up because of the intervention of Ms Rosen who was representing them.

The equality officer stated: "I find that Ms Rosen's behaviour and actions have obstructed and impeded my investigation of this case and an award of expenses to the council is warranted."

The equality officer said she would not find in favour of the complainants as no evidence of discrimination was presented.

A spokesman for the council said: "We welcome the decisions by the Equality Tribunal and particularly the decision to fine Ms Rosen."

Ms Rosen denied obstructing or impeding the work of the tribunal. She said the call-over hearing for the cases was in May 2007, and scheduled to take place a short time after the first of a number of suicides in the Traveller community at that time. She said: "There was deep trauma in the Traveller community at that time and a request to have the hearings postponed was refused."

Ms Rosen said she is seeking a legal remedy to the decision.