Noel Mulryan made a complaint against the Road Safety Authority, claiming he was discriminated against as he wasn’t allowed wear a colander on his head in a photograph for his renewed driving licence.
Noel is a Pastafarian.
From the Workplace Relations Commission website:
The complainant states that on 9 September 2013, he applied to the Motor Tax office for a change of address on his driver’s license. He provided a form, passport sixed photographs and proof of address as required. The complainant also included a letter explaining that he was wearing headwear in his photo due to his religious beliefs.
The Complainant states that he received a letter dated 21 October 2013 explaining that after consultation with the respondent that his driving license application “was being refused on two grounds (i) the photo captured should have a clear view of the eyes/eyebrows/forehead area with minimal shadows (ii) while it is acceptable to wear head covering in accordance with religious beliefs, we do not believe that you have demonstrated that the use of head covering is related to a religious belief.”
The complainant submits that at this point he felt he was being discriminated against because of his religious beliefs. He had already explained in the letter accompanying his application that he was wearing a colander on his head for religious purposes i.e. as he is a Pastafarian.
The complainant did accept that his head covering could be smaller so he re-submitted his application on 23 October 2013 with new passport sized photographs.
He also included an accompanying letter with examples of other fellow Pastafarians wearing their religious headwear in official government issued documents. He received a letter dated 21 November from the respondent suggesting that his religious beliefs were a parody and as a result his license application would not be accepted.
And the decision?
Valerie Murtagh, adjudication officer at the Workplace Relations Commission, found:
In reaching my decision I have taken into account all the submissions, written and oral that were made to me. In accordance with section 25(4) of the Equal Status Acts, I conclude this investigation and issue the following decision.
I find that the claimant’s complaint does not come within the definition of religion and/or religious belief and therefore he has failed to establish a prima facie case of discrimination on the ground of religion. His complaint therefore fails.
Read the complaint and Ms Murtagh’s decision in full here
Thanks Marie
Little Stars
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Down Cash writes:
I visited a Topaz pump last week and used one of their card operated pumps where you pay at the pump rather than in the store.
When doing this you input a value of fuel you want, insert your pin and then pump. The pump cuts off when your car is full as usual, or pumps until the inputted value of fuel is reached. You are then supposed to be charged for the amount you pumped.
(Note: This was my first time filling this car and at the time I did not know fuel capacity or reserve capacity, my bad).
To my surprise when I looked at my account online two days later both the amount initially inputted (€60) and the pumped amount (€50) had been taken from my account.
On visiting the station they informed me this was to stop thieves with nothing in their account filling and running with no money in their account.
Today I received a reply from Topaz after querying this practice:
“As per our conversation I can confirm that Topaz charged your account for only the petrol dispensed i.e. €50, the €60 that was entered at the pump is being held by your bank and was not processed and should show in your account in 2-3 working days.”
(Note: I was told 4.5 working days for return of the money at the station).
In my account the €60 and €50 are gone from the account. At present I have no access to that €60.
I contacted my bank. They informed me that they’ve never heard of this and that they are not holding any money. The bank say all they can see is 2 transactions that are verified by my pin even though I only verified 1 transaction.
I saw no information that I would lose money for a week and was never informed of this important detail. I have rented cars and you are clearly warned about a hold of money on your account when renting the car, for damage etc reasons.
I thought I’d inform people in case they didn’t know, as I did not.
Anyone?
Scenes from a fire at an ESB substation on Roger’s Lane, just off Baggot Street, Dublin this afternoon which caused a power outage in the area.
The Dublin Fire Brigade has said there have been no reported injuries.
Meanwhile, at Doheny & Nesbitt’s…
FIGHT!
Pics: Timothy Kinsella and Dublin Fire Brigade
Le Galaxie – playing around the country this weekend
What you may need to know…
1. Dublin’s Le Galaxie bring unashamed, unabashed dancey, indie, ’80s-y synthpop to the fore, and have done so while becoming one of the country’s best live bands, when not dabbling in DJing under the moniker.
2. Having done the rounds previously as alt-rockers 66e, the four-piece regrouped in 2008, quickly garnering a following around the country and making their way around the world, from headlining Body & Soul, Sea Sessions and Castlepalooza, to SXSW and the Secret Garden Party. This summer sees them take on London’s Lovebox fest and Fiberfib fest in Benicassim, Spain.
3. 2011 saw them release debut album Laserdisc Nights II to wild applause from Irish music media, followed by 2012’s Fade 2 Forever EP.
4. Streaming above is the video for Love System, a live favourite and a tune that’s been tapped as a leadoff for two releases now, featuring on Fade 2 Forever before assuming its final, sleazily sax-laden form on Universal-released second album Le Club with this Feel Good Lost-directed visual accompaniment.
5. Their next excursion is for the May bank hollier – Friday sees them hit Waterford’s Central Arts, before heading out to the Wild West: the reopened and reawesomised Connolly’s of Leap happening this Saturday night. Sunday sees them play Dingle’s Féile na Bealtaine fest.
Verdict: The soundtrack to any neon, futuristic cinemascape you can imagine, from cool long-shot cities, to weepy end-credit belters, melted down and poured onto the tumult and movement of a packed dancefloor.
From top: Editorial in yesterday’s Sunday Times, and Professor Chris Fitzpatrick, former master of the Coombe hospital
You may recall the plans to move the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street to a site next to St Vincent’s University Hospital so that they can share a campus in Elm Park, Dublin.
Well.
Yesterday the Sunday Times reported that the Religious Sisters of Charity-owned St Vincent’s Healthcare Group (SVHG) is demanding that the National Maternity Hospital agrees to “become a branch of its corporate structure” before allowing the planned co-location to go ahead.
Further to this, Professor and consultant obstetrician/gynaecologist at the Coombe Hospital in Dublin Chris Fitzpatrick, spoke to Keelin Shanley on Today with Seán O’Rourke.
During their discussion, Professor Fitzpatrick said:
“I think that in terms of St Vincent’s Hospital, in the interests of patient safety that, in the context of co-location that the National Maternity Hospital should remain a clinical and corporate entity. Now there are huge advantages in relation to St Vincent’s Hospital taking on board the National Maternity Hospital, in terms of providing the full range of comprehensive care, from birth right through to old age. I think they are huge advantages in terms of the research, education and training synergies. But in the interest of patient safety, and with the greatest respect St Vincent’s Hospital do not have a track record in providing maternity and neonatal services, I think in the interest of patient safety that the National Maternity Hospital should be in a position to retain its corporate and clinical governance structures. In the interest of patient safety and I think that is the, that is to the forefront of all of these considerations.”
“…There’s been a long track record of underinvestment and de-prioritisation of services for mothers and babies. Moving into a big adult complex, healthcare complex, where there are competitive demands, I think it is really important that decisions made in relation to care being provided for mothers and babies are made by those who are best equipped to make those decisions…and these cases have been highlighted in the media recently.”
“There are also increasing ethical considerations that need to be taken into account in relation to complex issues in pregnancy. And I think, in the interest of mothers, that those decisions at a clinical and corporate level are best taken by those who have a long experience in making those decisions and providing those services… and that experience does not exist in general hospitals.”
“In relation to gynaecology services, where women are accessing gynaecology services in general hospitals, in Vincent’s, in James’s, in the Mater, because of competitive demands, many women are now actually moving from those hospitals into the maternity hospitals simply because of the fact that these services have been de-prioritised on the adult services.”
“…This project is ready to go to planning. I think the taxpayer and also mothers and women will not tolerate business issues bogging down a process that should be accelerated.”
Listen back in full here
Zenga Bikes
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The trailer for an upcoming documentary about the unusual obsession of Zenga Bros with (among other things) unusually tall bicycles.
These six brothers from Vancouver espouse three intersecting tenets they call the Three Beans, to wit: Create Everywhere, Redeem Everything and Be a Fool.
Bad Lip Reading catches up with Hil and Bernie in Brookyln for the Democratic presidential debate.
Previously: He Eats Hair, Human Hair
Last night.
At Mexican grocer and cookery school Picado on South Richmond Street, Dublin 2.
The Irish Food Dude tweetz:
Great idea by Picado auctioning Trump Piñata for charity [Amnesty Ireland]. Give him a bash there!
*Details of auction are being finalised.
Meanwhile, it’s catching…
This afternoon.
Spotted in the Mission District, San Francisco.
Thanks Kevin