The Equality Officer found Michael and Margaret McCarthy’s complaints of discrimination on the Traveller ground against The Laneway Bar, Cork, not well founded after the couple did not attend the hearing. The decision was dated 13 October 2004.
Their representative attended and said he believed the McCarthys knew about the hearing but had no instructions from them on how to proceed. The bar’s representative was told shortly before the hearing that they were absent, and the bar also chose not to attend.
With no evidence from the complainants, the officer found they had not established a prima facie case of discrimination. The complaints were not well founded after the complainants did not attend; the merits were not decided.