The Equality Authority has warned car rental and insurance companies against putting blanket bans on people because of their age.
The authority's chief executive, Niall Crowley, says it is discriminatory to refuse to quote someone for insurance based solely on an upper age limit, following a case successfully taken by the authority in 2003. "There is a very strong precedent for this," he said. His comments came as it emerged that elderly holidaymakers visiting Ireland are encountering significant problems trying to rent vehicles and car rental companies have refused them because of their age.
Gerard Scully of Age Action Ireland said insurance companies and underwriters for car hire companies use age as a criterion in Ireland. Car hire companies claimed underwriters would not insure older people, he said.
The age limits for the elderly were increasingly affecting the tourist market as a growing number of older people were travelling.
"With more older people travelling now it is a significant problem," he said.
The issue was raised after an 80-year-old man was refused a rental car because of his age.
Donal O'Connor, a native of Brosna, Co Kerry, who emigrated to Boston in 1947 travels regularly between his native village and the US. Last year at the age of 79 when arriving at Shannon airport he was warned by Hertz it could be his last time renting a car from them because of insurance problems.
Mr O'Connor, who turned 80 in December has medical certificates to prove his fitness and drives in the US. However, this summer he was unable to rent a car in Ireland. He feels restricted and discriminated against because of his age.
"Up to now when I'd come to Shannon airport, I'd rent a car drive down and turn the key in the old homestead," the retired electrician said.
According to Hertz "unfortunately" they could not rent cars to persons over the age of 80 because of insurance problems. Between the ages of 75 and 79 persons wishing to rent a car must have a letter from their doctor and their insurance company. The situation was different in the US. There people who were over 80 could rent a car, the spokeswoman at the Hertz head office said. Other companies also have an upper age limit. Avis car rental stops quoting people for car rental above 74-years-of-age.
But Mr Crowley pointed to the 2003 case where a 77-year-old man won a case against the Royal and Sun Alliance insurance company for its refusal to offer him car insurance. The Equality Tribunal also found that a ban against people over 70 operated by the company was discriminatory under the 2000 Equal Status Act.
"We also successfully used that precedent against a company that refused to quote for travel insurance based solely on age.
"Insurance has emerged as a significant issue, particularly on cars and particularly on age grounds," said Mr Crowley.
"It is a priority area for us and were are taking a number of cases on this issue."