The former treasurer of the All-Ireland Schnauzer and Pinscher Association had her membership suspended by the Irish Kennel Club for refusing to turn in a set of accounts during a row over the conduct of an annual general meeting, a tribunal has heard.
Details of the dispute were made public when a statutory complaint by the treasurer, Pauline McDonagh, concerning the handling of the matter by the Irish Kennel Club was opened today before the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
Ms McDonagh, who cited disability discrimination in a complaint under the Equal Status Act 2000, said the board of the Kennel Club “took a decision without investigating the facts” in October 2023, after she tried to raise a grievance.
A further complaint she made went unanswered, as did her notice of intention to seek relief under the equality legislation, she said.
“I don’t think I was given a fair hearing. One side was listened to, the other side wasn’t. In any complaints procedure, you would be given a right of reply,” she said.
Counsel for Irish Kennel Club, William John Kelly BL, appearing instructed by solicitor Maurice Regan, said the breed standard organisation had refused to register a litter of five puppies born on or about 5 February 2024 to Ms McDonagh and a second complainant alleging discrimination in a separate case.
Ms McDonagh’s membership had been suspended, while the second complainant was not a member but had enclosed a membership application with the form to register the litter, Mr Kelly said.
The complainant’s suspension followed a complaint she made to the Irish Kennel Club about the conduct of the 2022 annual general meeting of the All-Ireland Schnauzer and Pinscher Association (ASPA) a group affiliated to the IKC, where she was once the treasurer, counsel said.
Ms McDonagh had stated in a letter to the IKC that ASPA’s 2022 agm “didn’t comply with established procedure” and ought to be investigated by the Kennel Club, Mr Kelly said.
“By resolution of the board, the Irish Kennel Club determined the complaint was inadmissible, in its absolute discretion and pursuant to the constitution of the Irish Kennel Club,” Mr Kelly added.
“When so advised, in an apparent fit of pique… she failed and/or refused to submit the annual accounts and treasurer’s report for the financial year 2023,” he said.
Ms McDonagh had created an “extremely awkward and difficult situation” because the accounts and report were required in order for the Schnauzer and Pinscher group to “remain a club in good standing” with the IKC.
He said the kennel club had written to Ms McDonagh giving her a week to submit the accounts or face suspension. “Ms McDonagh failed to submit the accounts and report, and her membership was duly suspended,” he said.
He pointed out that Ms McDonagh had only referenced the earlier complaints process in October 2023 as alleged acts of discrimination, meaning that she had been out of time when she complained in November 2024.
Ms McDonagh’s position was that she had been waiting for the IKC to conclude its internal processes and that it had been a continuum of discrimination.
Mr Kelly submitted that there was a “wholesale failure” by Ms McDonagh to connect any disability to alleged less favourable treatment.
Ms McDonagh said certain “wording” had been used towards her which raised “red flags” and “pointed towards discrimination”.
WRC adjudication officer Pat Brady remarked that some form of mediation “might have been helpful” before the matter came before him as an equality claim. The case was adjourned today for discussions between the parties.
