Scottish woman awarded €100 voucher over racist remark

A Scottish woman who claims she was racially abused by the manageress of a Co Donegal restaurant has won a case at the Equality Tribunal.

Grace Sharkey was awarded a €100 voucher for Danny Minnie's Restaurant in Annagry after the tribunal ruled that she was discriminated against on the grounds of race.

She told the tribunal that, when she visited the premises in August 2002, a row developed over the time in which she would be served.

She claimed the manageress of the restaurant, Terri O'Donnell, snatched a menu out of her hand and called her a 'Glasgow bitch'.

Ms O'Donnell denied using such a term, but accepted that she did mimic Ms Sharkey's Scottish accent.

In a ruling published today, the Equality Tribunal said it had decided that a racist remark was probably made, but Ms Sharkey was partly responsible for provoking the manageress.