Recruiter apologises over Slieve Donard GM advert

An English company has apologised over a recruitment ad fort the general manager’s position at the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle, Co Down, which included “Irish descent” in the essential criteria for candidates.

Birmingham-based JWR said it was at fault over the listing for the £125,000 a year general manager vacancy at the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle, Co Down.

The hotel is owned by AJ Capital Partners, which operates the resort under its Marine & Lawn golf hotel portfolio.

The Nashville-based company  paid £40m for the Co Down hotel in 2021, which had been run by the Hastings family since 1972.

The Equality Commission said the stipulation that candidates must have experience “working on the isle of Ireland or have Irish descent” was potentially unlawful discrimination on racial grounds.

A spokesperson for the body, which oversees equality and discrimination said: “It is normally unlawful for an employer in Northern Ireland to set job selection criteria that would discriminate against jobseekers on racial grounds, which include the grounds of nationality and ethnic or national origins.

“From the information provided, in our opinion the job selection criterion referred to is potentially unlawful discrimination on racial grounds.

“We would advise this employer to re-consider their reasons for including this criterion.”

A spokesperson Marine & Lawn said: “The ad in reference was not approved by Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts.

“As a brand, we welcome inclusivity and do not discriminate on basis of race or geographical background.