WRC rejects Elube Kapengule’s race discrimination complaint against Tipperary County Council

The Workplace Relations Commission found that Tipperary County Council did not discriminate against Elube Kapengule on grounds of race after she sought emergency accommodation while homeless. Kapengule said the council had denied her emergency accommodation because of her race. The council denied discrimination and said her housing application did not meet the reckonable residency requirement. The adjudication officer found that Kapengule had not established facts giving rise to a presumption of discrimination or identified a comparator, and rejected the complaint. The council had agreed to contribute €60 for five nights of accommodation, a total of €300. The WRC decision was dated 20 November 2023.