Discrimination on the ‘religion ground’ happens where there is less favourable treatment of one person compared to another person because one has a different religious belief, background or outlook from the other, or that one has a religious belief, background or outlook and the other has not.
Membership clubs – a sports club for example – are one of the services covered by the Equal Status Acts and, as a general rule, cannot discriminate on any of the nine specified grounds (Age, Civil Status, Disability, Family Status, Gender, Membership of the Traveller Community, Race, Religion, Sexual Orientation) under the Equal Status Acts.
Ach tá roinnt díolúintí tábhachtacha ann mar sin féin.
When does a membership club discriminate?
Go ginearálta, déanann club idirdhealú sa chás:
- go bhfuil riail, beartas nó cleachtas aige lena ndéantar idirdhealú i gcoinne comhalta nó iarratasóra; nó
- go ndéanann duine atá ag gabháil do bhainistiú an chlub idirdhealú i gcoinne comhalta nó iarratasóra i ndáil le gnóthaí an chlub. Áirítear leis sin ceisteanna maidir le hiontráil, téarmaí agus coinníollacha comhaltais, deireadh a chur le comhaltas agus freastal réasúnta ar chomhaltaí faoi mhíchumas (faoi réir dhíolúine an chostais ainmniúil).
Note that registered membership clubs (licensed to sell alcohol to members and certain visitors under the Registration of Clubs Act 1904 to 2008) can have certain membership conditions that are not discriminatory. Ach ní féidir leis na clubanna sin idirdhealú a dhéanamh nuair atá earraí agus seirbhísí á gcur ar fáil don phobal, nó do chuid den phobal.
Non-registered clubs (with no license to sell alcohol) are covered by the Equal Status Acts if they provide goods and services to the public or, to a section of the public, and not just to members. Here, the general exemptions and specific grounds-based exemptions for services under the Equal Status Acts apply as normal.
Cé na díolúintí atá i gceist le haghaidh clubanna comhaltais?
Faoi na hAchtanna um Stádas Comhionann, ní idirdhealú é:
- is for a particular group of people (for example – gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religious belief, age, disability, nationality or ethnic or national origin, persons who are members of the Traveller community or persons who have no religious belief) and it refuses membership to other persons.
- confines benefit or privileges on the age and gender ground where it is not practicable for those outside the category to enjoy the benefit or privilege at the same time as members within the category. The clubs must make arrangements to offer the same or, a reasonably equivalent benefit or privilege to those members outside the category.
- has different types of membership, access to which is not based on any protected ground.
- seeks to eliminate past discrimination by offering particular fee rates or, membership arrangements to persons of a particular gender, by reserving places on the management board etc. or takes other steps for the principal purpose of obtaining a more equal involvement in club matters of persons who are members of a particular category.
- provides reasonably necessary different treatment to members of a particular gender, age, disability, nationality or national origin as regards sporting facilities or events.
Samplaí
- Clubanna le haghaidh catagóir áirithe daoine a dtugtar cosaint dóibh faoi na hAchtanna um Stádas Comhionann: m.sh. Ní idirdhealú é club a reáchtáil do dhaoine LADT.
- Imeachtaí speisialta: m.sh. Is féidir le club leadóige comórtas d’fhir a reáchtáil, fad is go bhfuil comórtas do mhná aige freisin. Is féidir leis imeachtaí a eagrú do pháistí amháin, nó do dhaoine faoi mhíchumas. Seachas i gcás inscne, ní gá don chlub imeacht eile a eagrú i dteannta an imeachta speisialta, ar nós comórtas do dhaoine níos sine.
- Cineálacha difriúla comhaltais: m.sh. Is féidir le club comhaltas iomlán, comhaltas seachbhuaice, agus mar sin de, a chur ar fáil.
- Daoine a fágadh ar lár cheana: m.sh. Féadfaidh clubanna gailf nár lig do mhná a bheith ina mbaill cheana rátaí speisialta ballraíochta a thairiscint chun iad a mhealladh anois.
Cén chaoi a ndéanfaidh mé gearán faoi chlub idirdhealaitheach?
Any person can apply to the District Court for a declaration that a membership club (not a nightclub) is discriminating.
If it is found to be a discriminating club and it is the first such order made against the club, the District Court can suspend a club’s certificate to sell alcohol for a period of up to 30 days. Dá bharr sin, ní féidir leis an gclub deochanna alcólacha a dhíol.
While a second or subsequent determination that a club is a discriminating club remains in effect, no certificate of registration shall be granted or renewed.
Foráiltear d’achomharc sa Chúirt Chuarda sna hAchtanna agus féadfaidh club iarratas a dhéanamh leis an gCúirt Dúiche ar dhearbhú an club idirdhealaitheach fós é.
D’fhéadfadh go mbeadh costais le híoc as caingne sa Chúirt Dúiche.
Ní dhéanann an Coimisiún um Chaidreamh san Áit Oibre cinntí faoi éilimh faoi chlubanna idirdhealaitheacha.
Case Studies
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Céard í an chéad chéim eile?
Cuir gearán faoi bhráid an Choimisiúin um Chaidreamh san Áit Oibre (WRC)
Is é an Coimisiún um Chaidreamh san Áit Oibre (WRC) an príomhchomhlacht a éisteann le gearáin agus a chinneann cúiteamh de bharr idirdhealú faoi dhlíthe comhionannais na hÉireann. Ní bhíonn aon táille ar chás a thabhairt os comhair an Choimisiúin agus is féidir gearáin a dhéanamh ar líne.
Learn more about the WRC process
Téigh i dteagmháil linn
Tá ról faoi leith againne, Coimisiún na hÉireann um Chearta an Duine agus Comhionannas, troid in aghaidh an idirdhealaithe agus an comhionannas agus cearta an duine a chur chun cinn in Éirinn. Is féidir linn eolas a thabhairt duit faoi do chearta, agus i gcásanna teoranta ar leith is féidir linn cúnamh dlí a thabhairt duit. Ach tabhair faoi deara nach cúirt muid agus nach gcinnimid éilimh idirdhealaithe.
Learn more about how to contact us
Téigh i dteagmháil le heagraíocht eile
D’fhéadfadh go mbeadh eagraíocht eile in ann cúnamh níos fearr a thabhairt duit.
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