The Workplace Relations Commission found Tipperary County Council discriminated against Christopher Cleary on disability grounds in its social housing assessment and ordered it to pay €5,000 compensation. The decision was dated 20 July 2023.
Cleary said the council repeatedly failed to account for his disability and the evidence he supplied when assessing his housing priority. The council denied discrimination, saying it needed a consultant’s letter to verify his disability and had not received a completed medical form.
The adjudication officer found Cleary had repeatedly tried to demonstrate his disability, but the council had not explained what was required or engaged meaningfully with him. The officer said this made it unduly difficult for him to access the housing service, amounting to discrimination under the Equal Status Act.
The council must arrange for its Housing Assessment Officer to meet Cleary, guide him through the process and review his application within 10 working days of receiving a completed HMD form 1. The council must also take account of housing options he lost when ranking him for future properties.