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Ms. Isabella Lazar, a Romanian national, was awarded €6,000 in compensation by the Equality Tribunal after claiming that she had been discriminated against by Dublin Bus. Ms. Lazar, who had applied for a position as a bus driver in the company, claimed that she had suffered gender, race and disability discrimination.

Ms. Lazar had successfully completed the theory and practical test for the position, and was referred for a medical examination after being called for an interview. However, at the medical, she was informed that she did not meet the minimum height requirements for the position, and she was unsuccessful in her application.

Ms. Lazar submitted to the Tribunal that this height restriction affected a greater proportion of women than men, and she alleged that Dublin Bus did employ men of a similar height to her, who were white and of Irish nationality.

The respondents contended that no gender discrimination had occurred, maintaining that there were objective reasons for the minimum height requirement. They stated that due to the measurements of the driver's seat in the bus, a smaller person was more likely to suffer a back injury. Dublin Bus stated that it required its' drivers to be over 165 cm tall. However, an occupational health specialist gave evidence that the average height of an Irish woman was 162.5 cm , thus Dublin Bus required it's female drivers to be above average height.

The Equality Officer, Connor Stokes, held that the claimant had suffered gender discrimination, as she was never informed during the recruitment process of the minimum height requirement. Ms. Lazar was awarded €6,000 in compensation for the distress caused.
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