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Disabled driver wins 6 Equality cases against Car Hire co's

goulders · 2009-12-10 13:46:32

The Equality tribunal has made an award’s against 6 car hire company’s. In case’s brought by a disabled driver. Ciaran Goulding tried to hire a car in 2006, following an accident in which his own car was written off. He requested an automatic car with hand controls. None of the 6 firms could facilitate Mr Goulding at that…

10-12-2009 2:46pm

#1

goulders

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Join Date: January 2009

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The Equality tribunal has made an award’s against 6 car hire company’s. In case’s brought by a disabled driver. Ciaran Goulding tried to hire a car in 2006, following an accident in which his own car was written off. He requested an automatic car with hand controls. None of the 6 firms could facilitate Mr Goulding at that time.

Mr Goulding’s insurance company told him he could hire a car temporarily under the terms of his policy. As a result he rang a number of car hire firms but he failed to secure a suitable car with any of the firms he contacted. “I was very surprised, and disappointed, a majority of persons contacting car hire firms could be accommodated, but as a person with a disability (MS), no suitable car was available”.

As he felt that this was discrimination on disability grounds, he contacted the Equality Tribunal and lodged a complaint against each of the firms he contacted, seven in all. The seven cases were heard over the past few months and this is final result. “I felt that this was a bigger issue than just one company not complying with the Equality Legislation, it was a car hire industry problem”. Hopefully no person will ever again be refused car hire on disability grounds.

The full report on the case’s are available on the equality tribunal website
http://www.equalitytribunal.ie

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