WRC hearing closes in jobseeker’s discrimination claim over haircut question

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

A Workplace Relations Commission hearing has closed on James Monaghan’s claim that the Erris Chamber of Commerce discriminated against him in access to employment on grounds of age, nationality and gender expression. The proceedings were reported on 9 January 2026.

Mr Monaghan said that when he met the chamber’s chairman, Brian Bakeberg, about a vacancy in April 2025, he was asked inappropriate questions about his background, accent, age, alcohol and smoking habits. He said he was also told that cutting his hair was a condition of employment. He said he had submitted correspondence with Intreo setting up an interview.

Mr Bakeberg said the meeting was a discussion, not an interview, and that he had stopped by for a quick chat. He said his hair comment referred to the prospect that Mr Monaghan would probably end up with no hair from the job. Mr Monaghan disputed that explanation, saying the question was framed as a gender question and that there was no reference to hair falling out or alopecia.

Mr Bakeberg said he asked about Mr Monaghan’s age and time on jobseeker’s allowance to assess his likely eligibility for a community employment scheme post. He said alcohol arose because the candidate would attend events where it was served, and denied directly asking if Mr Monaghan was Irish. He also alleged that Mr Monaghan later sought €2,000 to make the matter go away.

Adjudicator Conor Stokes closed the hearing and said he would write his decision in the coming weeks.

This case may have concluded differently. The outcome has not yet been confirmed by a public source we could find.