Tribunal finds Traveller couple deliberately provoked refusal of service

A TRAVELLER couple deliberately provoked a publican into refusing them service so they could later take a discrimination claim, an equality tribunal has ruled.

The officer found in favour of the publicans, who run the Abbey Lodge in Cellbridge, Co Kildare, noting that the evidence offered by the manager and barman was more convincing.

The complaint was brought by Travellers, Tom and Ellen Reilly, who live at a halting site in that area, and were refused service on August 25, 2001 and again on the following day.