A family in Dublin has taken a local primary school to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) over its alleged failure to address severe homophobic bullying that left their son traumatised and struggling with his mental health. However, the WRC ruled last Christmas that the complaint could not be considered because of time limits.

In an interview with the Irish Independent, the mother of the boy, referred to as John for privacy reasons, said that he reportedly endured years of verbal abuse and harassment from his classmates. He was subjected to slurs and had obscene drawings scrawled on his uniform. Other pupils suggested they could “catch something” from him. On one occasion, during a group photo, a student refused to stand near him, saying, “I don’t want to be in a picture with that f**king f*ggot,” according to the complaint.  

As a result of the relentless bullying, John’s mental health deteriorated significantly. He began displaying signs of self-harm, prompting his parents to take measures to ensure their home was safe. He required constant supervision, with his mother and her husband taking turns to stay with him. His struggles extended to his physical health as he stopped eating and became significantly underweight.

John was referred to specialist counselling services, and a recent letter from the HSE Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs), dated March 2024, confirmed that he had “experienced severe and prolonged homophobic bullying in primary school… which continues to trigger John daily in school.”  

His mother lodged a complaint with the WRC under the Equality Act, arguing that the school had failed to take the bullying seriously, neglected to address homophobia, and treated the family as a nuisance rather than supporting them.  

The WRC case initially opened in May 2023 but was quickly adjourned after the school’s barrister raised a legal challenge regarding time limits. Under the Equality Act, complaints must be filed within two months of the alleged prohibited conduct, or within six months in cases of alleged discrimination. The WRC ultimately ruled last Christmas that the case could not proceed due to these statutory deadlines.

Prior to bringing the case to the WRC, the family had lodged complaints with the school itself, but they were rejected. The mother felt that the time spent trying to engage with the school hampered her WRC complaint. 

“Parents are the underdogs,” Emma said. “We have done this for four years. A lot of work has gone into preparing the case, so to not even get to air the issues at the end feels unfair.”