Courts / Dublin / Report
Veteran Hairy Lemon employee wins €30k for age discrimination
Summary
John Mooney, a 71‑year‑old former maintenance worker at Dublin's Hairy Lemon pub, won €30,000 after a court found his dismissal in 2024 was age‑discriminatory. Mooney had been rehired in 2014 following a 20‑year barman career and was told in November 2023 that he would be dismissed at Christmas because the pub's insurance had risen due to his age. He was also warned of a mandatory retirement age of 66, despite having worked beyond that. Mooney attempted to contact the pub owner, Peter Hanahoe, who directed him to Niall Duff. In January 2024, Hanahoe handed Mooney a dismissal letter in an envelope. Witness Niall Duff testified that the company feared physical risks associated with Mooney's role, claiming the position was redundant. The adjudicator, Breiffni O'Neill, found the employer failed to provide evidence that insurance costs justified the dismissal and concluded the presumption of discrimination could not be rebutted, awarding the compensation.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Veteran Hairy Lemon employee wins €30k for age discrimination. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision
When:
- March 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
- January 2024 Other
- 2025-02-19 Publication
Why: Mr Mooney told a March 2024 Workplace Relations Commission hearing that his employer informed him the previous November that he would be dismissed at Christmastime "because [the pub's] insurance had increased as a result of his age". CNI source report
Places mentioned
- Stephen Street
Topics
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