Courts / Ireland / Report

Toddler turned away by creche over nut allergy wins €3k in equality case

Summary

In a decision by the Workplace Relations Commission, a childcare centre that had taken a two‑year‑old girl since she was 18 months old was found to have discriminated against her because of a severe nut allergy. The centre had refused to allow the child to bring her two Epi‑Pens, citing that it was "not prepared to take responsibility" for her condition. The parents had informed the centre of the diagnosis only after the child's return, and the centre's owner insisted that the pens could not be allowed. The tribunal accepted that the centre's concern for the child's safety was genuine but concluded that it had failed to reasonably accommodate her disability. The centre was ordered to pay €3,000 in compensation for the discrimination and the distress caused to the child and her family. The decision was anonymised because the complainant is a minor.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Toddler turned away by creche over nut allergy wins €3k in equality case. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• August 2022 Other
• Saturday 10 February 2024 Other
• 15 February Other
• Monday 19 February Other
• 2025-09-10 Publication

Why: One of the creche's owners, who was not named in the decision, told a hearing in January this year that she was concerned that because the girl was so young "one of the other children could give her a product with nuts". CNI source report

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

Read the original CNI report