A blind woman who claimed she could not travel to an equestrian event in Scotland because Para Equestrian Ireland refused to allow her guide dog to accompany her has lost her case of discrimination.
In a judgment published yesterday, the Equality Tribunal stated that Ms Joan Salmon considered the decision to refuse to allow her guide dog to accompany her was discriminatory on the ground of disability.
Ms Salmon raised the matter in the media. As a result of this action, she was refused entry to all future events coming under the control of Para Equestrian Ireland (PEI), a voluntary organisation that encourages people with disabilities to take part in equestrian events. She claimed the PEI's actions constituted victimisation under the Equal Status Act.
The PEI denied that Ms Salmon suffered victimisation. It maintained it had received advice that Ms Salmon's guide dog should not travel to Scotland in July 2001 because of foot-and-mouth restrictions.
The PEI stated that Ms Salmon bypassed standard complaint procedures within the organisation and embarked on "an aggressive media campaign which seriously damaged the reputation of the PEI in the public eye".
As a result of Ms Salmon's actions, the PEI decided to preclude Ms Salmon from future events until an unreserved apology was received from her for the personalised comments made in the media with regard to one of its members.
The Equality Officer found that the PEI's reaction to the newspaper articles was guided by the personal comments made in the articles.
The Equality Officer found that the treatment received by Ms Salmon was not less favourable than the treatment someone else would have received from the PEI if they had been involved in the public, personal criticism of an individual member of the organisation.