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WRC orders Beauty Salon to pay compensation for discrimination against Traveller family

7 August 2025

The WRC has issued decisions in discrimination cases taken against a beauty salon by a Traveller mother and her two daughters (who were represented in their cases by FLAC). The beauty salon has been ordered to pay €500 to each of the three complainants in compensation for discrimination against them as Travellers (i.e. a total of €1,500 in compensation). The decisions have been anonymised because two of the complainants are minors.

At the WRC hearing in February 2025, the mother gave evidence of bringing her daughters to the beauty salon in July 2023 as “a birthday treat” for one of them. However, they were discriminated against in a number of ways:

  • They were “asked to pay for their treatments in advance when other customers who were not members of the Traveller Community were not asked to pay in advance”.
  • One of the complainants “was shouted at by the owner and or manager [of the beauty salon]”.
  • One complainant “was left to queue for longer than other customers who were not members of the Traveller Community”.

The mother who made a complaint along with her two daughters commented today:

“I am delighted with the decisions of the WRC. We did not take these cases for money, we wanted to challenge the unfair way we were treated. As a mother, I want my girls to know that people cannot and should not treat them badly because they come from the Traveller community.

We could not have taken these cases without Sinéad Lucey (FLAC’s Managing Solicitor) and FLAC’s Traveller Legal Service. I am very grateful to them for the support they provided to us and for the service they provide to members of the Traveller community.”

Eilis Barry, FLAC Chief Executive, commented on the positive outcome in the cases today:

“These decisions are a stark reminder of the barriers and discrimination which Travellers constantly face in accessing services that the general population take for granted. The family showed great bravery and resilience in taking these complaints.

Unfortunately, there is no legal aid for victims of discrimination who take cases to the WRC. This means it is impossible for many people to challenge discrimination and to access compensation for its effects. We need to see urgent action on foot of the Review of the Civil Legal Aid scheme, including the removal of the blanket ban on legal aid for cases heard by tribunals like the WRC and the provision of properly-resourced dedicated legal services for Travellers and other groups with high levels of legal need. We would welcome a code of practice on access to goods and services from IHREC so that shops, pubs and all retail services are provided with detailed guidance on their responsibilities under the Equal Status Acts.

We also hope to see the Equality Bill 2024 advanced urgently. It includes a number of important proposals to improve our anti-discrimination legislation, including a significant increase in the (currently very low) level of compensation available in discrimination cases.”

ENDS.

The decisions of the WRC may be accessed here:

About FLAC: FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres) is an independent legal, human rights and equality organisation, which exists to promote access to justice. It provides early and preventive legal assistance through a Telephone Information & Referral Line and Telephone Legal Advice Clinics. As an Independent Law Centre, FLAC takes on a number of cases in the public interest each year, and operates a Roma Legal Clinic and Traveller Legal Service. The Traveller Legal service is supported by the Community Foundation of Ireland. A Steering Group of Traveller organisations provides the service with guidance and oversight.

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