Some £5,100 (€6,475) has been awarded to nine Travellers in two separate cases of discrimination. The Director of Equality Investigations, at the Department of Justice, published the two decisions yesterday.
Both cases involved Travellers who said they had been refused services because they were Travellers. In the first, Mr Tom Conroy, a male Traveller, said he had been refused service at Costello's pub in Co Mayo, in October last year.
Mr Costello argued that Mr Conroy had been refused drink because he "had had too much to drink and had a reputation for involvement in trouble".
The Equality Officer, however, found there was insufficient evidence to support Mr Costello's case and concluded the refusal of service constituted discrimination on the grounds of membership of the Traveller community. Mr Conroy was awarded £300 (€381) compensation.
In the second case, eight Traveller women claimed that during a meal they were having in Bartra House Hotel, Dalkey, Co Dublin, they were refused a drink at the bar because they were Travellers.
The respondent claimed the bar was closed due to a staff party and the complainants had not been informed in time due to a breakdown in communications.
The Equality Officer, however, found the respondent failed to rebut the inference of discrimination raised by the complainants.
The respondent had unlawfully discriminated against the complainants, she concluded. She awarded each complainant £600 (€762) compensation.
