A schoolteacher awarded a record payment by the Equality Tribunal says she believes the discrimination she suffered was not an isolated case.
Ms Margaret McGinn, a teacher at St Anthony's Boys National School, Kilcoole, Co Wicklow, was awarded €127,000 by the tribunal in a decision published this week. It found she was discriminated against because of her gender in an interview for the position of principal of the school and was subsequently victimised when she complained about the matter. The school has appealed the tribunal's decision to the Labour Court.
Ms McGinn, a teacher for 25 years, told The Irish Times yesterday that in her view, discrimination against female teachers because of their gender was a "much wider" problem than her own case. In many cases, however, it was difficult to seek redress.
"Gender discrimination can be very subtle. In my case it was so blatant and so overt that I was able to go to the tribunal with a well-documented case."
Ms McGinn was asked during the interview by the then chairman of the school's board of management, Father Eamon Clarke, whether having a female principal in a boys' school would pose a problem from a role model point of view, given that there were few males in the education sector. Father Clarke later visited the school staff room and provided details of the selection process to teachers there. Of Ms McGinn, Father Clarke said: "Bean maith í ach bean sa phost i scoil lán buachaillí, ní bhéadh sé sin oiriúnach." ("She is a good woman, but a woman in the position in an all-boys' school would not be appropriate.")
Ms McGinn, who complained to the tribunal in November 2001, has continued working at the school. She said she felt "vindicated and relieved" by the tribunal's decision and was particularly pleased with some aspects, such as the recommendation that independent chairs be appointed to school interview boards. She welcomed the fact that the school had been ordered to give her an apology in writing and to write to colleagues telling them that she had been a worthy candidate but had not received a fair interview due to gender discrimination.
Ms Gerardine Coyle, the equality officer, said the victimisation claim was the worst she had encountered. She said there was a need for the award to have a deterrent effect under EU law. She awarded Ms McGinn €10,000 as compensation for the discrimination she had suffered and €117,000, the equivalent of two years' salary, for the subsequent victimisation.
