THE INDUSTRIAL TRIBUNALS

CASE REF:	64/05
66/05
67/05
68/05

CLAIMANTS:		Carol Knight
				Karen Gillvray
				Mary Frances O’Neill
				Elizabeth Kelly			

RESPONDENT:		Royal Group of Hospitals Trust		

DECISION ON A PRE-HEARING REVIEW

The decision of the tribunal is that the tribunal has jurisdiction to hear the Equal Pay claim pursuant to The Equal Pay (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004.  The claimants’ claims in so far as they relate to sex discrimination are hereby dismissed.

Constitution of Tribunal:

Chairman:		Ms Crooke (Chairman sitting alone)

Appearances:

The claimants were represented by Mr McEvoy, Barrister-at-Law, instructed by Irwin Mitchell, Solicitors.

The respondent was represented by Mr M Lavery, Barrister-at-Law, instructed by Brangam Bagnall & Co., Solicitors.	

1.	The claimants’ claims insofar as they related to sex discrimination were by consent dismissed without further Order as to costs.

2.	It was agreed that the equal pay element of the claims had been submitted in time.  The tribunal has jurisdiction to hear the equal pay element of the claims pursuant to The Equal Pay (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 which inserted Section 2(2)(a)(iii) into the Equal Pay Act (Northern Ireland) 1970.	 

Chairman:

Date and place of hearing:	22 May 2006, Belfast.	

Date decision recorded in register and issued to parties: