Racial Discrimination Cases Double

The number of cases of racial discrimination in the workplace has increased by 100% in a single year, according to the Equality Tribunal.

The amount of cases referred to the Tribunal reached 307 last year - over double that of the previous year.

The Tribunal's annual report published on Wednesday also shows a 65% increase in the number of cases of discrimination against those with a disability in accessing services compared to 2006.

Overall, the Equality Tribunal dealt with 850 complaints last year, a 36% increase on the previous year.

But according to the report, cases of discrimination on the grounds of race and disability saw the biggest jump in figures last year.

The number of cases of racial discrimination accounted for almost half of the claims relating to employment, of which there were 667.

There were 89 cases brought to the tribunal on the grounds of discrimination in the workplace against those with a disability, an increase of 59% on the previous year.

The equality legislation prohibits discrimination on nine grounds - gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race and membership of the Traveller community.

Earlier this week it emerged that an English pipe fitter working in Ireland has been awarded €20,000 (£15,630) in compensation after suffering racial abuse at his Irish workplace.

The man, who requested anonymity, told an Equality Tribunal that shortly after joining the firm in April 2006, abuse reached a point where he would take his lunch in his car instead of the canteen.

The man claimed that two months after starting work he was made redundant because he was British - instead of a less experienced Irish worker.

The Tribunal found the man was racially harassed and said that some of the instances suffered by the English worker were "of a blatant and intimidatory nature".

However, it was ruled that the man was not chosen for redundancy because of his nationality.

See: Englishman Wins Harassment Case

(DW)