Equality and Discrimination 2024

Action Taken, Knowledge of Rights, and Satisfaction with Outcome

Respondents who had experienced discrimination of any form in the previous two years, were asked what action they took, if any.

Almost One in Six Took Verbal Action

At an overall level, by far the most common action taken was verbal, including bringing the issues concerned/discussing with one's manager, a service provider, a support organisation, Citizens’ Information, Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), Patient Advocacy Service etc. Almost one in six (16%) chose this mode of action, followed by 6% who put the issue concerned in writing, including to one's manager, a service provider, a support organisation, etc.

Just 3% made an official complaint, such as to the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC), Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), HSE’s Your Service Your Say, Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), etc., while only 1% contacted An Garda Síochána and a similar number took legal action. Almost three quarters (73%) of people took no action at all (See Figure 12.1 and Table 12.1).

Note: Respondents could choose more than one option.

Analysis by age group shows that younger people were more likely to talk in person or by phone to their manager, a service provider, a support organisation, Citizens’ Information, Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), Patient Advocacy Service etc. about the perceived discrimination and issues concerned. One in eight (12%) people aged 18 to 24 years had dealt with discrimination experienced in this way. However, those who took this mode of action most were those aged 25 to 34 years (20%), followed by people in the 35 to 44 years age group (19%).

Older people aged 65 to 74 years were most likely to address the issues in writing (11%), compared with just 4% of younger people in the 18 to 24 years age group (See Table 12.2).

Almost Three in Ten Have No Understanding of their Rights

Of those respondents who had experienced discrimination of some form, more than three in ten (31%) who had taken legal action, had a good understanding of their rights. In comparison, almost three quarters (74%) of those who made an official complaint, had only a little understanding of their rights.

Examples of making an official complaint include to the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC), Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), HSE’s Your Service Your Say, Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), etc. (See Figure 12.2 and Table 12.3).

Respondents who took legal action were most satisfied with the outcome. Of those who took legal action, almost one in six (16%) were very satisfied with the outcome, compared with just 3% of people who made a complaint in writing, or who had contacted An Garda Siochana. For those who took legal action, a further 16% were somewhat satisfied, while for a similar number (16%), the complaint process was still ongoing. For more than half (51%) who took legal action, they were not at all satisfied.

For those who made an official complaint, such as to the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC), Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), HSE’s Your Service Your Say, Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), etc., some 56% were not at all satisfied, which was similar to those who made a complaint in writing, for example to one's manager, a service provider, a support organisation, etc., at 54% (See Table 12.4).