Equality Tribunal awards €127,000 to Wicklow teacher
A teacher asked a gender-based question during an interview at a Co Wicklow boys' school has been awarded over €127,000 by the Equality Tribunal, the single largest award in the its history.
Margaret McGinn applied for the job of principal in St Anthony's Boys school in Kilcoole, and was asked at the interview whether a female principal would pose a problem in an all-boys school.
A male applicant was successful, and she complained through her union.
A second interview was held with a different panel, and on that occasion, another female candidate was successful.
Due to a breach of procedures, however, a third interview took place with another new panel, and this time the job was given to the man originally appointed.
Ms McGinn felt she was discriminated against in the first interview, and that her complaint had put her in an awkward position in other interviews.
The Tribunal did not find that but for the discriminatory question, she would have been appointed, but it did conclude that the question should not have been asked.
It also found that she was subsequently victimised for having taken a complaint.
It awarded her €10,000 in compensation, plus the equivalent of two year's salary, as well as a number of other orders, including a full written apology.
