School to fight Traveller place ruling

A SCHOOL ordered to offer a place to a Traveller child after it was found to have indirectly discriminated against him is to appeal the finding in the Circuit Court.

Yesterday Séamus Bannon, principal of Christian Brothers High School in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, confirmed the school’s board of management had “decided to appeal the determination of the Equality Tribunal”.

The tribunal ruled that the school’s policy of giving priority to the sons of former pupils “puts members of the Traveller community at a particular disadvantage compared with non-Travellers” and that the High School “has not proved that the priority given to the children of former pupils is appropriate and necessary”.