Equality Officer Gerardine Coyle found the Southern Regional Fisheries Board discriminated against Michael Bowes by failing to fit hand controls to a work vehicle, and ordered it to pay him €10,000 compensation. The decision was dated 17 February 2004.
Bowes, a Fishery Officer, said his driving licence required him to drive vehicles fitted with hand controls. The board said his request became entangled in a dispute over logoed vehicles and argued he could not perform every duty of the role. Coyle found that driving was one of his duties, that hand controls could have enabled him to drive, and that the board failed to engage in real dialogue about the request. The controls could have been fitted for £400.
Coyle also found the board had retained Bowes in employment and was required to consider reasonable accommodation. She ordered the compensation for the stress caused by the discrimination. Bowes also referred to constructive dismissal, but Coyle said she had no jurisdiction to investigate that claim; the merits were not decided.