Courts / Limerick / Report

5-star hotel turned Traveller woman away on her wedding night

Date
2023-11-20

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Limerick

Summary

A five‑star hotel in Limerick was ordered to pay €1,000 to a Traveller woman, Mary Jane Sheridan, after it refused her and her husband, Thomas Gammell, accommodation on their wedding night because they could not produce a credit card. Sheridan said she felt the staff were talking about refusing them and that the hotel would not make an exception on their wedding day. Gammell said the hotel would not accept a cash deposit and that his debit card was "no good". The hotel, Labarre Ltd trading as the Savoy Hotel, denied the complaints but the Workplace Relations Commission upheld Sheridan's claim under the Equal Status Act 2000. The tribunal has not yet published a decision on Gammell's complaint. The hotel argued the credit‑card requirement was unrelated to Traveller status, but the adjudicator found the policy was not appropriate or necessary and that the hotel had indirectly discriminated against Sheridan.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 5-star hotel turned Traveller woman away on her wedding night. Charges or matters: discrimination. Procedural stage: trial

When:

2023-11-20 Publication

Why: A five-star hotel has been ordered to pay €1,000 in compensation to a Traveller woman after turning her and her new husband away on their wedding night because they couldn't produce a credit card. CNI source report