An open farm operator has been ordered by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) to pay €8,000 in compensation to a young girl after finding that staff discriminated against her by accusing her of theft based on her Traveller ethnicity. The anonymised WRC decision, published this week, found the business failed to demonstrate its staff were unaware of the girl’s ethnicity when the incident occurred.
The complaint, brought on behalf of the girl under the Equal Status Act 2000, centred on an incident where she was accused of not paying for sweets at the farm’s shop. The WRC heard evidence that the accusation was made in a manner that suggested it was linked to her being a member of the Traveller community. The business argued that staff were simply addressing a case of suspected shoplifting and were not aware of the girl’s ethnicity at the time.
However, the WRC rejected this claim, stating the evidence presented did not support the assertion that staff lacked awareness of the girl’s background. The Commission noted the Equal Status Acts 2000-2015 prohibit discrimination in the provision of goods and services on grounds including ethnicity, and that the actions of the open farm’s staff constituted unlawful discrimination. The Acts cover services generally available to the public, including facilities for refreshment like the farm shop.
The €8,000 award represents compensation for the discriminatory treatment suffered by the girl. The decision follows a series of similar cases brought before the WRC in recent years, highlighting ongoing issues of discrimination against members of the Traveller community in Ireland. In August 2025, a beauty salon was ordered to pay €1,500 to a Traveller woman and her daughters after insisting they pay cash upfront for treatments, a practice the WRC found discriminatory. Similarly, in October 2024, a Donegal hotel was ordered to pay €5,000 to a Traveller after initially cancelling his reservation, only to accept a booking made under a false name.
The Equal Status Act 2000, amended by subsequent legislation including the Equality Act 2004, the Equal Status (Amendment) Act 2012, and the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015, provides a legal framework for addressing discrimination. The 2015 Act added “housing assistance” as a tenth ground for discrimination, specifically in the provision of accommodation. Before lodging a complaint with the WRC, individuals are required to first send a written notification to the respondent, outlining the perceived discrimination.
The WRC has not released the name of the open farm involved in this case, citing privacy concerns. The Commission has indicated it will publish further details of its decisions in due course, but has not specified a timeline. The open farm operator has the right to appeal the WRC’s decision.
