Equality Law

Geraldine McGahey, chief commission of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, notes the continued importance of the landmark Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Today marks International Day of Persons with Disabilities – a day dedicated to promote full and equal participation of people

The Home Office's widely-condemned "hostile environment" measures breached equality law with particular impact on black members of the Windrush generation, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has said. The equality watchdog's new assessment highlights that that the negative consequences

A man who was discriminated against by a letting agency for being a recipient of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) has won compensation through the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The 32-year-old had already viewed the property, agreed a tenancy, signed the agreement and paid a deposit when

Discrimination on the ground of criminal conviction should be banned in equality legislation, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has said. The watchdog made the recommendations as part of its response to the government's review of the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions and Certain Discl

A transgender woman supported by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has settled a sex discrimination case against retailer Debenhams for £9,000 with no admission of liability. Ava Moore, from Newry, applied for a job as a temporary sales assistant in the run-up to Christmas 2018 and

The belief that sex is "biologically immutable" and transgender people should be treated and referred to as the sex they were assigned at birth is not a protected philosophical belief under the Equality Act 2010, a tribunal has ruled.

Anne McKernan, head of legal services at the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, considers whether a discrimination case before the courts can really lead to change. The answer is yes – it can do. And almost everyone who successfully resolves their case with our help, whether it’s

A woman who was unlawfully dismissed because of her pregnancy has been awarded nearly £28,000 in compensation. Laura Gruzdaite, 26, brought a case against McGrane Nurseries Ltd in Co Armagh to the Industrial Tribunal with support from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland has settled an age discrimination case brought by its chief executive Roisin McDonough for £12,000, without admission of liability. Ms McDonough, who has held the top post since October 2000, brought the case alleging age discrimination and victimisation, w

A bank has been ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) to pay €4,000 in compensation to a Syrian refugee who was denied a bank account. The man was supported by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in taking a case against the bank for breach of the Equal Status Acts 2000

A transgender woman who was asked to leave a Dublin bar last year has won an out-of-court settlement and a public apology. Sonia Kolasinska, 39, told The Irish Times that she was asked by security staff to leave Madigan's on O'Connell Street after attempting to join friends after attending a politic

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) has appeared before the Supreme Court to exercise its amicus curiae function in a significant case on the rights of persons with disabilities to have reasonable accommodations made in the workplace. The Commission is appearing as amicus curiae i

The Law Society of Ireland has launched a new Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Task Force to promote equality, diversity and inclusion in the Society and the solicitors’ profession. The Task Force comprises 16 members from various minority, disability, LGBT+ and socio-economic backgrou

A boy of mixed race who was asked to leave a store in County Down has been paid £3,000 in settlement of his case alleging racial discrimination. The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland supported the boy, a minor, in taking his case against DSG Retail Limited, operators of Curry's PC World

A housing association which provides accommodation exclusively for Orthodox families has defeated an application for judicial review by a mother and her young son over its allocation policy. The High Court dismissed a claim, which had been brought by a non-Jewish family in Stamford Hill, protesting