Equality Officer Brian O’Byrne found that Patricia O’Brien and Bridget Griffen were discriminated against on the Traveller community ground when refused service at the Hitching Post in Ballycogley, Co Wexford. In a decision dated 16 June 2006, O’Byrne ordered Kathleen O’Leary and Joseph Whelan to pay each woman €500.
The women said the barman ignored them and refused service because he recognised them as Travellers. The respondents said the pub was busy and the women became loud and demanding. O’Byrne accepted the women’s account over that of two customers who had been drinking for several hours, finding that the barman had time to serve them but chose not to because of their Traveller community membership.
O’Leary was not personally involved in the initial refusal, but the respondents were held vicariously liable for the barman’s actions. The officer found they had not shown that they took reasonable steps to prevent discrimination, noting that the barman had not received equality training.