Oriel House Hotel said it was ‘overbooked’ when Margaret O’Sullivan went to check-in with relatives
The WRC found the women’s membership of the Travelling community was 'the material fact' which led to each of them being denied accommodation. Photograph: Colin Keegan/CollinsA four-star hotel that “embarrassed and humiliated” members of a Traveller family by refusing them accommodation and hurrying them out of the building to refund them with a “wad” of banknotes in the car park has been ordered to pay €11,000 in compensation.
Mr O’Donovan said he “was not a member of the Traveller community” but was Ms O’Sullivan’s long-term partner. Free Legal Advice Centre managing solicitor Sinéad Lucey submitted that he was “discriminated against by association”. When Ms O’Sullivan said they had a reservation, the worker said the rooms were being cleaned and made a phone call. Two managers then approached her and again said there was an “overbooking”.
The complainant said the children in their group had been “extremely excited” and were playing in the lobby but became upset and started crying when she told them they could not stay.She said the group was “easily recognisable as Travellers” by the hotel staff because of the “distinctive colourful dresses and jewellery” worn by the children. Ms O’Sullivan said she was proud of her culture and proud of being a Traveller.
In his decision, adjudicator Thomas O’Driscoll said the hotel manager’s evidence that other Travellers who stayed at the hotel “always declared themselves as Travellers” and that she could not tell a Traveller from a member of the settled community by their dress was not “plausible”.
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