Woman gets €1,000 for discrimination
Jean Browne claimed she was refused entry to Chung and Tullio’s restaurant in Ballina on July 20, 2003, because she was wearing “a gypsy-style top and hoop earrings” and her relatives had married Travellers.
The Equality Tribunal said she was discriminated against “on the Traveller ground by association”.
Ms Browne had been in the restaurant for a christening earlier in the day. She went home to change her clothes and came back at 7pm with a black friend.
She claimed she was also discriminated against on race grounds because her companion was black, but this complaint was not upheld.
In response, the restaurant recalled there had been an incident in the premises earlier that day, but could not remember exactly what it was.
Because they could not provide a reason for refusing entry, Ms Browne’s complaint was upheld.
In a separate case, a husband and wife from the Travelling community were awarded €1,000 each from their local pub, where they claimed they were “not welcomed” after a family row outside the premises.
John and Mary Stokes took a case to the Equality Tribunal against Gilmore’s Pub in Galway. They were long-time regulars in the premises and attended on December 21, 2002, the night of their grandchild’s christening.
The ruling said: “Mr Stokes was arguing with his son-in-law who had stripped to the waist and was shouting that he was king of Ballygar.”
The case heard that Mr and Ms Stokes had not been barred from Gilmore’s but the owner said he would “see them after Christmas”. This made them feel that they were not welcome.
The Equality Authority ruled they had been “victimised” by the pub owners who later refused to serve them because they had made the complaint.
Five other complaints made by Travellers against pubs were not upheld by the Equality Authority in the rulings published for last month.
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