WRC rejects disabled driver’s discrimination claim over toll delay

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

The Workplace Relations Commission rejected David Tyrell’s discrimination complaint against North Link M1 Ltd, finding that no prohibited conduct took place. The claim arose after a toll barrier failed to open when a camera misread his car’s number plate.

Tyrell, a beneficiary of the Disability Toll Exemption Scheme, had entered an unmanned lane on the M1. The scheme allows adapted vehicles for disabled drivers to use toll roads free. He argued that he should be allowed to use unmanned lanes like non-disabled drivers and should not have had to discuss his exemption status with the operator, which he said disclosed his disability to his passenger.

The operator’s representative said scheme guidance advised pass-holders to use a manned lane so staff could check a disability toll disc if a plate was misread. Tyrell accepted he had not read the guidance.

Adjudicator Emile Daly accepted Tyrell did not know how the system worked and believed discrimination had occurred. She concluded that using a manned lane was intended for his benefit and rejected his complaint under the Equal Status Act 2000.