Barred travellers bag golf course compensation
Five members of the travelling community are each to get £1,000 (€1,431) in compensation after being barred from a golf course, it was announced today.
Dungannon Golf Club in Co Tyrone, once the home club of Ryder Cup star Darren Clarke, has also agreed to consider all future applications for membership without discrimination on the grounds of race.
The out of court settlement was announced today following a decision to refuse the men permission to play the parkland course in June 2000.
Equality Commission chief Joan Harbison, who backed the legal action, insisted no sections of the community should have to endure racism.
She said: “No one should be excluded from playing sports, shopping or from a social life just because they belong to a particular group or community.
“Members of the Irish traveller community are entitled to receive the same treatment as members of the settled community.”
Officials at Dungannon and the Ulster Branch of the Golfing Union of Ireland were unavailable for comment.
But the decision is bound to have a major impact at some clubs on both sides of the Irish border which have been forced to introduce security measures to prevent traveller settlements being located on their property.
It is understood the men had played the course along with non-travellers.
But when they later returned, this time unaccompanied, they were refused permission and asked to leave.
Their case was taken to a county court under the Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order before the club issued an apology and admitted its guilt.
It also accepted that its practices and procedures were unlawful and contrary to the order.
Even though the men did not want to be identified, the Equality Commission insisted they were delighted with the outcome.
The apology and assurances they will be allowed to play the course in future just like other members of the public had been particularly satisfying for them, the commission added.
“We welcomed the opportunity to work with Dungannon Golf Club in reviewing its policies and training its staff,” said Ms Harbison.
“This case gives notice to everyone providing goods, services and facilities that it is not only wrong, but unlawful, to treat travellers in a discriminatory manner.”
