Man awarded €30k over age discrimination

A mechanic who was refused permission to attend training courses because he was nearing retirement age has been awarded €30,000 by the Equality Tribunal.

John O’Neill claimed he had been discriminated against by his former employer, Fairview Motors — which operates a Hyundai dealership in Fairview, Dublin — on grounds of age, as younger mechanics had been allowed to participate in similar courses.

Mr O’Neill also successfully argued that he was discriminated against by the company’s decision to unilaterally terminate his employment in Jul 2008 when he reached 66.