Vintners warned of prosecution on Traveller issue

The Vintners' Federation of Ireland and its members are risking prosecution if they impose a blanket ban on Travellers in pubs, the Irish Travellers Movement has warned.

A spokesman for the movement, Mr David Joyce, accused the VFI of "kicking up a fuss" about the equality legislation and leaving itself open to charges under it.

He was speaking following a threat from the VFI to impose a State-wide ban on serving Travellers in pubs.

"If the Vintners' Federation decide to institute a ban they will be inciting discrimination, which is in itself an offence under equality legislation, and they will be leaving themselves open to prosecution," he said.

Not only did the VFI risk prosecution, but individual publicans who imposed the ban would also risk cases being taken by Travellers who felt discriminated against, he said.

The VFI chief executive, Mr Tadg O'Sullivan, could also be liable for prosecution for recent comments. "We are led to believe that our children may be damaged and disadvantaged if they are not given the very best of everything that is available," Mr Joyce said.

"The emotive and insulting language used by the VFI spokesman could leave him open to challenges of incitement to hatred."

The VFI threat was the culmination of an 18-month campaign to "water down" the equality legislation, he went on. The "outrageous" claims and statements recently made against Travellers were based on pure prejudice.

He dismissed publicans' claims that their right to refuse admission had been taken from them.

"Publicans still have the authority to bar anyone who makes trouble on their premises, but they want the opportunity to continue their policy of generations, of striking first, by banning Travellers," he said.

The Irish Travellers Movement was still willing to meet with the VFI, he added.

Mr Willie O'Dea, Minister of State at the Department of Justice, has appealed to both groups to take no action before they have met him. The VFI and the Travellers Movement are scheduled to have separate meetings with the Minister next Tuesday.

The Mayo Traveller Support Group circulated a petition in Westport, Co Mayo, yesterday to gauge public reaction to the proposed blanket ban on Travellers in the town's pubs.

The National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI) has condemned the VFI threat. "To ban all Travellers in response to the actions of some members would be a clear act of discrimination against a whole community," a spokesman said.