How to Complain

There is a law called the Equal Status Act in Ireland.

It is against the law to discriminate against people with a disability (and others) when providing goods and services to the public.

Discrimination is when a person with a disability is not treated the same as a person with no disability.

Services are things like transport, banking, entertainment and childcare. Shops sell goods.

The service can be one provided by the government or privately.

If you have been discriminated against you may wish to make a complaint.

The first step is to write to the service. You can use a form called an ES1.

If you find the form hard to fill in, get help from a friend, family member, or an advocate.

You must send the ES1 form off direct to the service in less than 2 months of the discrimination. In some cases, you may get a little more time.

The service should reply back to you in 1 month to explain what happened.

Sometimes the service does not respond.

The service’s reply may not be right or there may be no reply within 1 month or you may not be happy about the reply.

You can then write to the Workplace Relations Commission.

Your complaint must get to the Workplace Relations Commission in less than 6 months of the discrimination.

Tell them how you were discriminated against.

A person called a mediator may meet you and the service to talk about the complaint. You do not have to talk to the mediator.

The mediator tries to get an agreement between you and the service.

If mediation does not work or is not used the Workplace Relations Commission will ask you and the service to come to a meeting. Both sides can tell their story to an ‘Adjudication Officer’.

You or the service may bring a witness.

An ‘adjudication officer’ is someone who decides who is right or wrong in the case. They will ask you and the service questions.

Both you and the service will get a letter telling you of the ‘adjudication officer’s’ decision.

There will also be a reason for the decision.

If you or the service are unhappy about the decision you could go to court. This must be done within 6 weeks.

The National Advocacy Service may be able to help you. Telephone 0761073000

Inclusion Ireland may be able to help you. Telephone 018559891