Courts / Ireland / Report

St John Ambulance volunteer forced to retire fails in equality challenge

Summary

John McGrath, a volunteer in his seventies, challenged St John Ambulance's decision to force him to retire because he was over 70, claiming ageist discrimination under the Equal Status Act 2000. He argued the retirement policy was arbitrary and ignored his proven ability to perform the role, citing that he met all certification requirements and had received training. McGrath's letter to the charity in June 2022 stated he would not resign, and he alleged no consultation with the charity's executive, where he sat. The charity defended its policy by citing a 2018 review of its governance structure, noting the executive's average age was 75 and raising health and safety concerns about the physical demands of volunteer work. The Workplace Relations Commission adjudicator, Breiffni O'Neill, found no breach of the Act, concluding that the charity's decision was outside the scope of the Equal Status Act and dismissed the discrimination complaint.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: St John Ambulance volunteer forced to retire fails in equality challenge. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

• 25 June 2022 Other
• June 2022 Other
• 2024-01-24 Publication

Why: A volunteer in his seventies who was forced to retire from St John Ambulance because he was over its retirement age has failed in an equality challenge. CNI source report

Case subjects

Topics

Stage Charge Or Pretrial

Read the original CNI report