The Workplace Relations Commission found Emerald Park discriminated against Alison Walsh by failing to provide reasonable accommodation and ordered the park to pay her €3,000. The decision was dated 24 April 2023.
Walsh uses a mobility scooter. She said staff refused her a Ride Assistance Pass during a family visit because she could not provide a doctor’s letter confirming that she could not queue. Emerald Park said visitors seeking the pass had to provide documentation supporting an inability to queue, and said its policy was intended to ensure the pass went to people who needed it.
The adjudication officer found the park’s approach unreasonable and inflexible. Because Walsh could not meet the documentation requirement, she was denied the opportunity to enjoy the park on an equal footing with other visitors. Under the Equal Status Acts, service providers must take reasonable steps to accommodate a person with a disability where needed to access a service.